Thalidomide and pentoxifylline block the renal effects of supernatants of macrophages activated with Crotalus durissus cascavella venom

Because thalidomide and pentoxifylline inhibit the synthesis and release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), we determined the effect of these drugs on the renal damage induced by supernatants of macrophages activated with Crotalus durissus cascavella venom in order to identify the role of TNF-alpha in the process. Rat peritoneal macrophages were collected with RPMI medium and stimulated in vitro with C.d. cascavella venom (10 µg/ml) in the absence and presence of thalidomide (15 µM) or pentoxifylline (500 µM) for 1 h and washed and kept in culture for 2 h. Supernatant (1 ml) was tested on an isolated perfused rat kidney (N = 6 for each group). The first 30 min of each experiment were used as control. The supernatant was added to the perfusion system. All experiments lasted 120 min. The toxic effect of the preparation of venom-stimulated macrophages on renal parameters was determined. At 120 min, thalidomide (Thalid) and pentoxifylline (Ptx) inhibited (P < 0.05) the increase in perfusion pressure caused by the venom (control = 114.0 ± 1.3; venom = 137.1 ± 1.5; Thalid = 121.0 ± 2.5; Ptx = 121.4 ± 4.0 mmHg), renal vascular resistance (control = 4.5 ± 0.2; venom = 7.3 ± 0.6; Thalid = 4.5 ± 0.9; Ptx = 4.8 ± 0.6 mmHg/ml g-1 min-1), urinary flow (control = 0.23 ± 0.001; venom = 0.44 ± 0.01; Thalid = 0.22 ± 0.007; Ptx = 0.21 ± 0.009 ml g-1 min-1), glomerular filtration rate (control = 0.72 ± 0.06; venom = 1.91 ± 0.11; Thalid = 0.75 ± 0.04; Ptx = 0.77 ± 0.05 ml g-1 min-1) and the decrease in percent tubular sodium transport (control = 77.0 ± 0.9; venom = 73.9 ± 0.66; Thalid = 76.6 ± 1.1; Ptx = 81.8 ± 2.0%), percent tubular chloride transport (control = 77.1 ± 1.2; venom = 71.4 ± 1.1; Thalid = 77.6 ± 1.7; Ptx = 76.8 ± 1.2%), and percent tubular potassium transport (control = 72.7 ± 1.1; venom = 63.0 ± 1.1; Thalid = 72.6 ± 1.0; Ptx = 74.8 ± 1.0%), 30 min before and during the stimulation of macrophages with C.d. cascavella venom. These data suggest the participation of TNF-alpha in the renal effects induced by supernatant of macrophages activated with C.d. cascavella venom

Subclinical signs of podocyte injury associated with Circulating Anodic Antigen (CAA) in Schistosoma mansoni-infected patients in Brazil

Background:The long-term effects of schistosomiasis on the glomerulus may contribute to the development of chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate baseline Schistosoma mansoni-Circulating Anodic Antigen (CAA) levels and their association with kidney biomarkers related to podocyte injury and inflammation in long-term follow-up after praziquantel (PZQ) treatment.Methods:Schistosoma infection was diagnosed by detecting CAA in urine using a quantitative assay based on lateral flow using luminescent up-converting phosphor reporter particles. A cutoff threshold of 0.1 pg/mL CAA was used to diagnose Schistosoma infection (baseline) in a low-prevalence area in Ceará, Northeast, Brazil. Two groups were included: CAA-positive and CAA-negative individuals, both of which received a single dose of PZQ at baseline. Urinary samples from 55 individuals were evaluated before (baseline) and at 1, 2, and 3 years after PZQ treatment. At all time points, kidney biomarkers were quantified in urine and adjusted for urinary creatinine levels.Results:CAA-positive patients had increased baseline albuminuria and proteinuria and showed greater associations between kidney biomarkers. CAA levels correlated only with Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) (podocyte injury) levels. Increasing trends were observed for malondialdehyde (oxidative stress), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (inflammation marker), and VEGF. In the follow-up analysis, no relevant differences were observed in kidney biomarkers between the groups and different periods.Conclusions:S. mansoni-infected individuals presented subclinical signs of glomerular damage that may reflect podocyte injury. However, no causal effect on long-term renal function was observed after PZQ treatment.Cancer Signaling networks and Molecular Therapeutic

Desempenho e qualidade dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais alimentadas com rações contendo farelo de coco tratado ou não com antioxidante Performance and egg quality of laying hens fed diets containing coconut meal treated with and without antioxidant

Este experimento foi conduzido para avaliar a estabilidade oxidativa do farelo de coco (FC) tratado ou não com butil-hidroxitolueno (BHT) e armazenado por 35 dias e estudar o efeito de rações contendo esse ingrediente sobre o desempenho e a qualidade do ovo de poedeiras. Um lote de 200 kg de farelo de coco foi dividido em cinco partes: uma foi armazenada sem a adição de antioxidante e as demais tratadas com 500 ppm de BHT nos dias 0, 7, 14 e 21. A estabilidade oxidativa do farelo de coco foi acompanhada por meio dos índices de acidez e de peróxidos, determinados semanalmente. Após 35 dias de armazenamento, 10% de farelo de coco tratado e não tratado com BHT nos diferentes tempos de armazenamento foi usado na formulação de rações isonutrientes para poedeiras comerciais. Foram utilizadas 180 poedeiras da linhagem Hisex White, distribuídas ao acaso em 5 tratamentos e 6 repetições de 6 aves cada. Os índices de acidez e de peróxidos do farelo de coco armazenado com ou sem BHT aumentaram com o tempo de armazenamento. Contudo, os tratamentos não afetaram o desempenho nem a qualidade dos ovos das aves. O farelo de coco armazenado por 35 dias sem antioxidante, embora sofra oxidação, pode ser usado em níveis de até 10% na ração para poedeiras comerciais.<br>This experiment was conducted to evaluate the oxidative stability of coconut meal treated with or without butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) at different storage times and the effect of diets containing this ingredient on laying hens' performance and egg quality. A 200-kg batch of freshly produced coconut meal was divided into five equal portions. One portion was stored without BHT and the others were treated with BHT at zero, 7, 14 and 21 days. The oxidative stability of coconut meal was measured by the acidity index and peroxide index determined weekly. At the end of the 35-day storage time, this ingredient was used in the formulation of diets for laying hen. One hundred and eighty Hisex White laying hens were randomly distributed among five treatments with six repetitions of six birds each. The acidity index and peroxide index of coconut meal treated with or without BHT at different periods of time increased with storage time. Nevertheless, treatments did not affect laying hens' performance or egg quality. Coconut meal stored for 35 days, although showing lipid peroxidation, can be included at 10% level in the diet for commercial poultry