Effects of Lysophosphatidic Acid (LPA) and Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH) on Cl- Secretory Responses in Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

poster abstractPolycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disease that causes the formation of fluid-filled cysts in the kidney and other organs such as the liver and pancreas. Kidney function is seemingly unaltered despite substantial cyst development over the first four to six decades of life, but then the decline in renal function is precipitous often leading to complete renal failure in 5 years. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) causes an increase in Cl- secretion into the cyst lumen, and one of the drugs in human clinical trials for treatment of PKD is an ADH receptor antagonist. The hormone works by stimulating cAMP production, which leads to the Cl- secretion. Interestingly, we have found that cyst fluid from human patients also causes a secretory Cl- flux that can lead to the growth of the remaining intact cysts. The active component of the cyst fluid is LPA, a phospholipid that acts as an extracellular signaling molecule. This secretion is important in late stage disease when large cysts are likely to leak or burst contributing to the rapid decline in renal function. Electrophysiological techniques were implemented to compare the ion fluxes stimulated by ADH and LPA. In the mpkCCDc14 (mouse principal cells of the cortical collecting duct clone 4) cell line we found that the Cl- secretory pathways stimulated by the two factors are separate and independent. Further indication of this separation is our finding that LPA stimulation does not increase cAMP levels. Therefore we have identified an additional target for potential pharmaceutical intervention in the treatment of PKD

Inhibition of cyst growth in PCK and Wpk rat models of polycystic kidney disease with low doses of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonists

Background and Objectives The studies were designed to test the efficacy of two peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists in two rodent models of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Materials and Methods The PCK rat is a slowly progressing cystic model while the Wpk-/- rat is a rapidly progressing model. PCK rats were fed with a pharmacological (0.4 mg/kg body weight [BW]) and a sub-pharmacological (0.04 mg/kg BW) dose of rosiglitazone (week 4–28). Wpk-/- rats were fed with pharmacological (2.0 mg/kg BW) and sub-pharmacologic (0.2 mg/kg BW) doses of pioglitazone from day 5 to 18. At termination, kidney weights of treated versus untreated cystic animals were used to determine efficacy. The current studies were also compared with previous studies containing higher doses of PPARγ agonists. The concentrations used in the animals were calculated with reference to equivalent human doses for both drugs. Results The current studies demonstrate: 1) that low, pharmacologically relevant, doses of the PPARγ agonists effectively inhibit cyst growth; 2) there is a class action of the drugs with both commercially available PPARγ agonists, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone, inhibiting cyst growth; 3) the drugs showed efficacy in two different preclinical cystic models. In the PCK rat, animals fed with a sub-pharmacological dose of rosiglitazone for 24 weeks had significantly lower kidney weights than untreated animals (3.68 ± 0.13 g vs. 4.17 ± 0. 11 g, respectively, P < 0.01) while treatment with a pharmacologic dose had no significant effect on kidney weight. The rapidly progressing Wpk-/- rats were fed with pharmacological and sub-pharmacologic doses of pioglitazone from day 5 to 18 and the kidneys were compared with non-treated, cystic animals. Kidney weights on the pharmacologic dose were not statistically lower than the untreated animals while rats fed a sub-pharmacologic dose showed a significant decrease compared with untreated animals (3.35 ± 0.15 g vs. 4.55 ± 0.46 g, respectively, P = 0.045). Conclusion Concentrations of PPARγ agonists below the human equivalent diabetic doses are effective in slowing cyst growth in two rodent models of PKD

LOW DOSE PPARγ AGONIST INHIBITION OF CYST GROWTH IN THE PCK RAT MODEL OF POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASE

poster abstractPolycystic kidney diseases (PKD) are genetic disorders characterized by fluid-filled cysts in kidney tubules and liver bile ducts that enlarge during the patient’s life commonly progressing to renal failure in midlife. Cyst enlarge-ment is due in part, to Cl- secretion via the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel. Our previous studies demonstrat-ed that PPARγ agonists, insulin-sensitizing drugs used to treat diabetes, in-hibit Cl- secretion by renal collecting duct principal cells via decreased CFTR synthesis. The dose response curves for Cl- transport paralleled the EC50’s for receptor transactivation with a leftward shift, suggesting an increased sensitivity for inhibition of Cl- secretion. Our previous preclinical studies showed that high (20 mg/kg BW) dose pioglitazone, a PPARγ agonist, inhib-ited cyst growth in the PCK rat model, which is orthologous to a human form of PKD. PCK rats were fed a diet containing 3 doses of rosiglitazone (4, 0.4, and 0.04 mg/kg BW) for 24 weeks starting at weaning. 4.0 mg/kg BW rosig-litazone is analogous to 20 mg/kg BW pioglitazone used in the previous study. At the end of the study, urine, serum, kidney, liver, and heart were collected for analysis. There was a significant decrease in total kidney weight, kidney weight as a percent of body weight, and renal cyst volume in the lowest does (0.04 mg/kg BW). There was no significance difference in the other doses, and the liver and heart were not changed significantly. This showed both pioglitazone and rosiglitazone were effective in inhibiting cyst growth in the PCK rat indicating a class action of PPARγ agonists. Important-ly, the rodent data substantiated the previous tissue culture data showing that a very low dose of rosiglitazone is effective in treatment of PKD

Objektiv strukturierte Bewertung einer Hautnaht am Modell : ist die direkte Beobachtung der video-basierten Beobachtung überlegen? ; Poster

Poster Einleitung: OSCEs werden immer häufiger in der Ausbildung von Studierenden eingesetzt. Die Einführung eines OSCEs im fach Chirurgie ist in Planung. Durch die große Anzahl von Studierenden pro Semester oder Studienjahr (400 Studierende in Frankfurt) ist die Durchführung einer OSCE Prüfung mit großem personellen Aufwand verbunden. Vor allem während der Prüfung müssen eine Vielzahl von Chirurgen simultan zu Prüfungszwecken zur Verfügung stehen. Ziel der Studie war es, zu überprüfen, ob eine video-basierte Bewertung einer „Nahtstation“ zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt zu gleichen Ergebnissen in der Bewertung der Leistung der Studierenden führt. Methode: 33 Studierende führten unter standardisierten Bedingungen eine Hautnaht an einem Modell durchzuführen. Die Studierenden wurden während der Prozedur von zwei prüfenden Chirurgen und zwei Studierenden im PJ (praktischen Jahr) beobachtet und anhand einer objektiv strukturierten Checkliste bewertet (Prozessevaluation). Die Prozedur wurde gleichzeitig auf Video aufgezeichnet und zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt zwei weiteren Chirurgen und zwei weiteren Studierenden im PJ zur Bewertung gezeigt. Ergebnisse: Der Vergleich zwischen "live“-prüfenden und "video“-prüfenden Chirurgen zeigt eine signifikant hohe Korrelation (r=0,87; p<0,01) und eine hohe Übereinstimmung (88,2%) in der Bewertung. Ebenso zeigen die prüfenden PJler eine signifikant hohe Korrelation (r=0,84; p<0,01). Die Übereinstimmung ist bei den PJlern mit (82.4%) etwas niedriger als bei den beteiligten Chirurgen. Zusammenfassung: Mit dieser Studie konnte zeigt werden, daß es bei der Beurteilung der Performance von Studierenden bei einer Hautnaht am Modell unter Anwendung von objektiv strukturierten Checklisten möglich ist, eine direkte Beobachtung der Studierenden durch eine video-basierte Beobachtung zu ersetzen. Eine "Nahtstation“ in einem OSCE kann somit während der Prüfungszeit ohne Prüfer auskommen und im Anschluß bewertet werden

Epinephrine stimulation of anion secretion in the Calu-3 serous cell model

Calu-3 is a well-differentiated human bronchial cell line with the characteristics of the serous cells of airway submucosal glands. The submucosal glands play a major role in mucociliary clearance because they secrete electrolytes that facilitate airway hydration. Given the significance of both long- and short-term β-adrenergic receptor agonists in the treatment of respiratory diseases, it is important to determine the role of these receptors and their ligands in normal physiological function. The present studies were designed to characterize the effect of epinephrine, the naturally occurring β-adrenergic receptor agonist, on electrolyte transport of the airway serous cells. Interestingly, epinephrine stimulated two anion secretory channels, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator and a Ca2+-activated Cl− channel, with the characteristics of transmembrane protein 16A, thereby potentially altering mucociliary clearance via multiple channels. Consistent with the dual channel activation, epinephrine treatment resulted in increases in both intracellular cAMP and Ca2+. Furthermore, the present results extend previous reports indicating that the two anion channels are functionally linked

Ultrathin Polydopamine Films with Phospholipid Nanodiscs Containing a Glycophorin A Domain

Cellular membranes have long served as an inspiration for nanomaterial research. The preparation of ultrathin polydopamine (PDA) films with integrated protein pores containing phospholipids and an embedded domain of a membrane protein glycophorin A as simplified cell membrane mimics is reported. Large area, ultrathin PDA films are obtained by electropolymerization on gold surfaces with 10–18 nm thickness and dimensions of up to 2.5 cm2. The films are transferred from gold to various other substrates such as nylon mesh, silicon, or substrates containing holes in the micrometer range, and they remain intact even after transfer. The novel transfer technique gives access to freestanding PDA films that remain stable even at the air interfaces with elastic moduli of ≈6–12 GPa, which are higher than any other PDA films reported before. As the PDA film thickness is within the range of cellular membranes, monodisperse protein nanopores, so-called “nanodiscs,” are integrated as functional entities. These nanodisc-containing PDA films can serve as semi-permeable films, in which the embedded pores control material transport. In the future, these simplified cell membrane mimics may offer structural investigations of the embedded membrane proteins to receive an improved understanding of protein-mediated transport processes in cellular membranes

Divergent in situ expression of IL-31 and IL-31RA between bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) are two major autoimmune blistering skin diseases. Unlike PV, BP is accompanied by intense pruritus, suggesting possible involvement of the pruritogenic cytokine IL-31. However, the underlying mechanisms of the clinical difference between BP and PV in terms of pruritus are not fully understood. To compare the expression levels of IL-31 and its receptor IL-31RA in the lesional skin, including peripheral nerves in BP and PV patients, immunohistochemical staining for IL-31 and IL-31RA was performed in skin samples of BP and PV patients and healthy controls (HC). The IL-31RA-expressing area in epidermis and peripheral nerves was analysed using ImageJ and the percentage of positive cells for IL-31/IL-31RA in dermal infiltrating cells was manually quantified. Quantitative analyses revealed that IL-31/IL-31RA expressions in the epidermis and dermal infiltrate were significantly increased in BP compared to PV and HC. The difference between BP and PV became more obvious when advanced bullous lesions were compared. Peripheral nerves in BP lesions presented significantly higher IL-31RA expression compared to PV lesions. In conclusion, we found significantly augmented expressions of IL-31/IL-31RA in BP lesions, including peripheral nerves, in comparison to PV. These results suggest a possible contribution of IL-31/IL-31RA signalling to the difference between BP and PV in the facilitation of pruritus and local skin inflammation, raising the possibility of therapeutic targeting of the IL-31/IL-31RA pathway in BP patients

Ambient vibration tests of a cross-laminated timber building

Cross-laminated timber has, in the last 6 years, been used for the first time to form shear walls and cores in multi-storey buildings of seven storeys or more. Such buildings can have low mass in comparison to conventional structural forms. This low mass means that, as cross-laminated timber is used for taller buildings still, their dynamic movement under wind load is likely to be a key design parameter. An understanding of dynamic lateral stiffness and damping, which has so far been insufficiently researched, will be vital to the effective design for wind-induced vibration. In this study, an ambient vibration method is used to identify the dynamic properties of a seven-storey cross-laminated timber building in situ. The random decrement method is used, along with the Ibrahim time domain method, to extract the modal properties of the structure from the acceleration measured under ambient conditions. The results show that this output-only modal analysis method can be used to extract modal information from such a building, and that information is compared with a simple structural model. Measurements on two occasions during construction show the effect of non-structural elements on the modal properties of the structure