New perspectives on the renal slit diaphragm protein podocin.
Podocin is a critical component of the glomerular filtration barrier, its mutations causing recessive steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. A GenBank analysis of the human podocin (NPHS2) gene resulted in the possible existence of a new splice variant of podocin in the kidney, missing the in-frame of exon 5, encoding the prohibitin homology domain. Using RT–polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting followed by sequence analysis, we are for the first time able to prove the expression of a novel podocin isoform (isoform 2), exclusively and constitutively expressed in human podocytes. Furthermore, we reveal singular extrarenal podocin expression in human and murine testis. Our data show the…
Potential Candidates for Focal Therapy in Prostate Cancer in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted Biopsy: A Large Multicenter Cohort Study.
Focal therapy (FT) with its favorable side-effect profile represents an option between active surveillance and traditional whole-gland treatment in localized prostate cancer (PCa). Consensus statements recommend eligibility criteria based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted and systematic combination biopsy.To estimate the future potential of FT by analyzing the number of men eligible for FT among all men with biopsy-proven PCa and to judge the potential of different energy sources.Consensus criteria on FT were analyzed. Patients with biopsy-proven PCa from six tertiary referral hospitals and one outpatient practice in Germany had received a software-based combination biopsy. Men w…
Interleukin 6 (IL-6) deficiency delays lupus nephritis in MRL-Faslpr mice: the IL-6 pathway as a new therapeutic target in treatment of autoimmune kidney disease in systemic lupus erythematosus.
Objective.To investigate the pathophysiological effect of interleukin 6 (IL-6) on lupus nephritis in MRL-Faslprmice.Methods.We generated IL-6-deficient MRL-Faslprmice using a backcross/intercross breeding scheme. Renal pathology was evaluated using immunohistochemistry detection for macrophages, lymphocytes, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling) for apoptotic cells, and renal IgG and C3 deposition by immunofluorescence staining. Expression of inflammatory markers in the spleen was analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Serum cytokine concentrations were detecte…