Autophagy and regulation of aquaporins in the kidneys

Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channel proteins that facilitate the transport of water molecules across cell membranes. To date, seven AQPs have been found to be expressed in mammal kidneys. The cellular localization and regulation of the transport properties of AQPs in the kidney have been widely investigated. Autophagy is known as a highly conserved lysosomal pathway, which degrades cytoplasmic components. Through basal autophagy, kidney cells maintain their functions and structure. As a part of the adaptive responses of the kidney, autophagy may be altered in response to stress conditions. Recent studies revealed that autophagic degradation of AQP2 in the kidney collecting ducts leads to impaired urine concentration in animal models with polyuria. Therefore, the modulation of autophagy could be a therapeutic approach to treat water balance disorders. However, as autophagy is either protective or deleterious, it is crucial to establish an optimal condition and therapeutic window where autophagy induction or inhibition could yield beneficial effects. Further studies are needed to understand both the regulation of autophagy and the interaction between AQPs and autophagy in the kidneys in renal diseases, including nephrogenic diabetes insipidus

Additional file 1: of Combination of Chymostatin and Aliskiren attenuates ER stress induced by lipid overload in kidney tubular cells

Figure A1. mRNA levels of RAS components in HK2 cells treated with palmitic acid. A. The mRNA levels of chymase, angiotensinogen, ACE in PA-treated HK2 cells with chymostatin and/or aliskiren. B. The mRNA levels of AT1R in PA-treated HK2 cells with chymostatin and/or aliskiren. Representative results of three independent experiments are shown. ATG: angiotensinogen; ACE: angiotensin converting enzyme; AT1R: angiotensin type 1 receptor; CTL, controls; PA, palmitic acid treatment group; PA + CMT, palmitic acid plus chymostatin treatment; PA + Ali, palmitic acid plus aliskiren treatment; PA + CMT + Ali, palmitic acid plus chymostatin and aliskiren treatment. * p < 0.05 compared with controls; # p < 0.05 compared with PA. (PPTX 52 kb

Embryo incubation by time-lapse systems versus conventional incubators in Chinese women with diminished ovarian reserve undergoing IVF/ICSI: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction The time-lapse imaging system (TLS) is a newly developed non-invasive embryo assessment system. Compared with conventional incubators, a TLS provides stable culture conditions and consistent observations of embryo development, thereby potentially improving embryo quality and selection of the best quality embryo. Although TLSs have been routinely used in many in vitro fertilisation (IVF) centres globally, there is insufficient evidence to indicate that TLSs result in higher cumulative live birth rates over conventional incubators. The purpose of this study is to compare the cumulative live birth rates and safety including miscarriage in infertile patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) from both TLSs and conventional incubators.Methods and analysis This study is a double-blind randomised controlled clinical trial (1:1 treatment ratio of TLSs vs conventional incubator). A total of 730 patients with DOR undergoing the first or second cycle of IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) will be enrolled and randomised into two parallel groups. Participants will undergo embryo culture in the TLSs (group A) or the conventional incubators (group B), respectively. Embryos are selected for transfer in both groups by the morphological characteristics. The embryo selection algorithm software is not used in the TLSs. The primary outcome is the cumulative live birth rate of the trial IVF/ICSI cycle within 12 months after randomisation. This study is powered to detect an absolute difference of 10% (35% vs 25%) at the significance level of 0.05% and 80% statistical power based on a two-sided test.Ethics and dissemination This trial has been approved by the Institutional Ethical Committee of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital (KS1958). All participants in the trial will provide written informed consent. The study will be conducted according to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and its amendments. Results of this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed scientific journals.Trial registration number Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900027746)

Additional file 2: of Combination of Chymostatin and Aliskiren attenuates ER stress induced by lipid overload in kidney tubular cells

Figure A2. Combination treatment with chymostatin and aliskiren couldn’t prevent ER stress in HK2 cells treated with tunicamycin (2 μg/ml). A. Tunicamycin induced upregulation of the ER markers (BiP and CHOP) expression in HK2 cells, neither pretreatment with chymostatin (5X10−5M) nor aliskiren (10− 8 M) attenuated ER stress induced by TM. B. Quantitative analysis of ER stress marker levels normalized to β-actin. Representative results of three independent experiments are shown. * p < 0.05 compared with controls. # p < 0.05 compared with TM. CTL, controls; TM, tunicamycin treatment group; TM + CMT, tunicamycin plus valsartan treatment; TM + Ali, tunicamycin plus aliskiren treatment; TM + CMT + Ali, tunicamycin plus chymostatin and aliskiren treatment. (PPTX 73 kb