Glomerular angiotensinogen protein is enhanced in pediatric IgA nephropathy

Enhanced intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is implicated in the development and progression of renal injury. To investigate whether angiotensinogen (AGT) expression is involved in glomerular RAS activity and glomerular injury, we examined glomerular AGT expression and its correlation with expression of other RAS components, and levels of glomerular injury in samples from patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) (23) and minor glomerular abnormalities (MGA) (8). Immunohistochemistry showed that AGT protein was highly expressed by glomerular endothelial cells (GEC) and mesangial cells in nephritic glomeruli of IgAN compared with glomeruli of MGA. Levels of glomerular AGT protein were well correlated with levels of glomerular angiotensin II (ang II), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), α-smooth-muscle actin, glomerular cell number, and glomerulosclerosis score but not with those of glomerular angiotensin-converting enzyme and ang II type 1 receptor. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analyses using cultured human GEC indicated that ang II upregulated AGT messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. These data suggest that activated glomerular AGT expression is likely involved in elevated local ang II production and, thereby, may contribute to increased TGF-β production and development of glomerular injury in IgAN. Augmentation of GEC-AGT production with ang II stimulation might drive further glomerular injury in a positive-feedback loop

Irreversible renal damage after transient renin-angiotensin system stimulation:involvement of an AT1-receptor mediated immune response

Transient activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) induces irreversible renal damage causing sustained elevation in blood pressure (BP) in Cyp1a1-Ren2 transgenic rats. In our current study we hypothesized that activation of the AT1-receptor (AT1R) leads to a T-cell response causing irreversible impairment of renal function and hypertension. Cyp1a1-Ren2 rats harbor a construct for activation of the RAS by indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Rats were fed a I3C diet between 4-8 weeks of age to induce hypertension. Next, I3C was withdrawn and rats were followed-up for another 12 weeks. Additional groups received losartan (20 mg/kg/day) or hydralazine (100 mg/kg/day) treatment between 4-8 weeks. Rats were placed for 24h in metabolic cages before determining BP at week 8, 12 and 20. At these ages, subsets of animals were sacrificed and the presence of kidney T-cell subpopulations was investigated by immunohistochemistry and molecular marker analysis. The development of sustained hypertension was completely prevented by losartan, whereas hydralazine only caused a partial decrease in BP. Markers of renal damage: KIM-1 and osteopontin were highly expressed in urine and kidney samples of I3C-treated rats, even until 20 weeks of age. Additionally, renal expression of regulatory-T cells (Tregs) was highly increased in I3C-treated rats, whereas the expression of T-helper 1 (Th1) cells demonstrated a strong decrease. Losartan prevented these effects completely, whereas hydralazine was unable to affect these changes. In young Cyp1a1-Ren2 rats AT1R activation leads to induction of an immune response, causing a shift from Th1-cells to Tregs, contributing to the development of irreversible renal damage and hypertension

Espaçamentos entre plantas e número de fileiras no canteiro na produção de ervilha Spacing between plants and number of rows per plot on the yield of pea

A ervilha é consumida na forma de grãos verdes ou enlatados, sendo considerada uma opção de produção para atender às novas demandas do mercado, principalmente de produtos supergelados. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o crescimento e a produção da ervilha de grãos verdes 'Luciana nº 50', cultivada sob quatro e cinco fileiras no canteiro e três espaçamentos entre plantas dentro da fileira (5,0; 7,5 e 10,0 cm), em Dourados-MS. Os tratamentos foram arranjados como fatorial 2x3, no delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados, com cinco repetições. A altura das plantas não foi influenciada significativamente pela interação número de fileiras no canteiro e espaçamentos entre plantas nem pelos fatores isoladamente, sendo a média de 105,6 cm. Houve interação significativa para as produções de massas frescas e secas da parte aérea, sendo as maiores (10,49 t ha-1 e 2,31 t ha-1) das plantas cultivadas sob quatro fileiras e 7,5 cm entre plantas e as menores (7,52 t ha-1 e 1,98 t ha-1, respectivamente), daquelas sob cinco fileiras e 5,0 cm entre plantas para massa fresca e quatro fileiras e 10,0 cm entre plantas para massa seca. A produção de vagem comercial obtida sob quatro fileiras de plantas superou em 1,50 t ha-1 àquela sob cinco fileiras (5,74 t ha-1) e a obtida sob 10,0 cm entre plantas foi superior em 2,25 t ha-1 àquela sob 5,0 cm (5,23 t ha-1). A maior produção de grãos tenros comercializáveis (4,27 t ha-1) foi com 10 cm entre plantas, que superou em 1,33 t ha-1 àquela com 5,0 cm entre plantas, que foi a menor. Considerando a produtividade de grãos tenros e a estimativa da renda bruta, conclui-se que a cultivar 'Luciana nº 50' deve ser cultivada com quatro fileiras de plantas no canteiro e sob 10 cm entre plantas.<br>Pea is consumed as green or canned grains, being considered an option of production to take care of the new market demands, mainly of superfrozen products. The growth and the production of green grains pea 'Luciana Nº 50' was evaluated when cultivated in four and five rows per plot and three spacings between plants in rows (5,0; 7,5 and 10,0 cm), in Dourados, Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Treatments were arranged as a 2 x 3 factorial scheme, in a randomized-blocks experimental design, with five replications. Plant height was not significantly influenced by the interaction between number of rows per plot and spaces between plants, neither by those isolated factors, with an average of 105,6 cm. The interaction was significant for fresh and dried mass of aerial part and the greatest values (10,49 t ha-1 and 2,31 t ha-1) were those from plants cultivated in four rows and 7,5 cm between plants. The smallest values (7,52 t ha-1 and 1,98 t ha-1, respectively) were those from plants under five rows and spaced 5,0 cm between plants for fresh mass and four rows and 10,0 cm between plants for dried mass. Yield of commercial pods obtained under four rows of plants was superior in 1,50 t ha-1 than those under five rows (5,74 t ha-1) and the yield obtained in 10 cm between plants was superior in 2,25 t ha-1 than that under 5,0 cm (5,23 t ha-1). The greatest yield of commercial tender grains (4,27 t ha-1) was obtainded using spaces of 10 cm between plants, which was superior in 1,33 t ha-1 than those with 5,0 cm between plants, which was the smallest one. Considering yield of tender grains and the estimate of gross income, 'Luciana nº 50' must be cultivated with four rows of plants per plot and with 10 cm between plants