The incidence of progressive nephropathies and, consequently, the population suffering from end-stage renal disease have increased steadily in recent years, posing an ever-growing cost, in both human and financial terms, to society. There is mounting evidence that, in both immune-mediated and nonimmune-mediated chronic nephropathies, renal inflammatory events are key to the propagation and perp...

Background: Diabetic nephropathy in patients on insulin is characterized by glucose-induced inhibition of matrix-degrading enzymes is believed to contribute the matrix accumulation. Study Design: Study tried to find out the renal tubular proteins that may detect earlier phase of renal complication in diabetes. Material and Methods: 42 female patients and 27 male patients using insulin (18-20 un...

Despite the huge amount of studies looking for candidate genes, the ACE gene remains the unique, well-characterized locus clearly associated with pathogenesis and progression of chronic kidney disease, and with response to treatment with drugs that directly interfere with the renin angiotensin system (RAS), such as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antag...

BACKGROUND Galectin-3 has several functions, such as cell proliferation, regulation of apoptosis and interaction of cell adhesion, and has a high binding affinity for advanced glycation end products. In animal models with diabetic nephropathy (DMN) or acute renal failure, galectin-3 is known to be upregulated. However, galectin-3 expression has not been investigated in human kidney diseases. ...

CCN2, a secreted profibrotic protein, is highly expressed in diabetic nephropathy (DN) and implicated in its pathogenesis; however, the actions of CCN2 in DN remain elusive. We previously demonstrated that CCN2 triggers signaling via tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA). Trace expression of TrkA is found in normal kidneys, but its expression is elevated in several nephropathies; yet its role in...

The activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is elevated both in the circulation and in the renal tissue of diabetic and nondiabetic nephropathies. The increased RAAS activity plays an important role in the hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic pathogenetic mechanisms involved in kidney disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that albuminuria is not only a marker of glomerular l...