Project description:Klotho is an identified longevity gene with beneficial pleiotropic effects on the kidney. Evidence shows that a decline in serum Klotho level occurs in early chronic kidney disease (CKD) and continues as CKD progresses. Klotho deficiency is associated with poor clinical outcomes and CKD mineral bone disorders (CKD-MBD). Klotho has been postulated as a candidate biomarker in the evaluation of CKD. However, the evidence for the clinical significance of the relationship between Klotho and kidney function, CKD stage, adverse kidney and/or non-kidney outcomes, and CKD-MBD remains inconsistent and in some areas, contradictory. Therefore, there is uncertainty as to whether Klotho is a potential biomarker in CKD; a general consensus regarding the clinical significance of Klotho in CKD has not been reached, and there is limited evidence synthesis in this area. To address this, we have systematically assessed the areas of controversy, focusing on the inconsistencies in the evidence base. We used a PICOM strategy to search for relevant studies and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale scoring to evaluate included publications. We reviewed the inconsistent clinical findings based on the relationship of Klotho with CKD stage, kidney and/or non-kidney adverse outcomes, and CKD-MBD in human studies. Subsequently, we assessed the underlying sources of the controversies and highlighted future directions to resolve these inconsistencies and clarify whether Klotho has a role as a biomarker in clinical practice in CKD.
Project description:ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the tumor circular RNA_0018289 (circ_0018289) expression and its correlation with clinical characteristics as well as survival profiles in cervical cancer patients.MethodsA hundred and ninety-two cervical cancer patients who received surgical resection were recruited in this prospective study. Tumor tissue and paired adjacent tissue were obtained during the surgery, in which circ_0018289 expression was detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were recorded.ResultsCirc_0018289 expression was upregulated in tumor tissue compared with paired adjacent tissue (P < .001), and receiver operative characteristic curve disclosed its good value for separating tumor tissue from adjacent tissue with an area under curve of 0.907 (95% CI: 0.879-0.935). Additionally, tumor circ_0018289 expression was positively associated with tumor size (P = .009), lymph node metastasis (P = .005) and Federation International of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage (P = .005). The DFS (P = .005) and OS (P = .015) were both worse in patients with circ_0018289 high expression compared to patients with circ_0018289 low expression. Meanwhile, in patients with circ_0018289 high expression, DFS and OS were the longest in patients with high+ expression followed by patients with high++ expression, and the shortest in patients with high+++ expression. Moreover, circ_0018289 high expression could independently predict worse DFS in the total cervical cancer patients (P = .042).ConclusionCirc_0018289 could serve as a potential disease monitoring and prognostic biomarker in cervical cancer patients.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Metallothioneins (MTs) were reported to be associated with many kinds of tumors' prognosis, although MTs expression varied greatly among tumors. To assess the prognostic value of Metallothioneins (MTs) in different kinds of tumors, comprehensive literature search was conducted to perform a meta-analysis. METHODS:Eligible studies were identified by PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science (WOS), the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG database and SinoMed database up to December 2017, which was designed to assess the prognostic value of MTs in different kinds of tumors. The main endpoint events were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Hazard ratios (HRs) and its variance were retrieved from the original studies directly or calculated using Engauge Digitizer version 4.1. Random or fixed effects model meta-analysis was employed depending on the heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated by funnel plots, Begg and Egger tests. RESULTS:A total of 22 studies were enrolled in this meta-analysis, including 2843 tumor tissues (1517 were MTs negative/low, and 1326 were MTs high). Results showed that there was significant association between MTs expression and tumors' OS (HR?=?1.60; 95%CI 1.34?1.92, P?<?.00001). Subgroup analysis showed that high level of MTs expression was associated with prolonged OS in liver cancer (HR?=?0.65, 95%CI 0.48?0.89, P?=?.007), but it was on the contrary in the tumor of ovary (HR?=?1.47, 95%CI 1.01?2.14, P?=?.04), bladder (HR?=?1.71, 95%CI 1.21?2.42, P?=?.002), intestine (HR?=?3.13, 95%CI 1.97?4.97, P?<?.00001), kidney (HR?=?3.31, 95%CI 1.61?6.79, P?=?.001). However, there was no significant association between MTs expression and OS in breast (HR?=?1.02, 95%CI 0.69?1.51, P?=?.93). CONCLUSIONS:MTs could be taken as a potential prognostic biomarker for tumors, and uniqueness of MTs prognostic value in liver cancer deserved further study.
Project description:BackgroundDiabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become a major cause of chronic kidney disease. However, early diagnosis of DKD is challenging. Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) is an intestinal microbial metabolite which might be associated with diabetes complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between TMAO and DKD.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 108 T2DM patients and 33 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. Multiple logistic regression analyses and area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) were performed to evaluate the correlation between serum TMAO and DKD.ResultsSerum TMAO levels were significantly higher in DKD patients than healthy control group and the NDKD (T2DM without combined DKD) group (P < 0.05). TMAO levels were negatively correlated with eGFR and positively correlated with urea nitrogen, ACR and DKD (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that serum TMAO was one of the independent risk factors for DKD patients (P < 0.05). In the diagnostic model, the AUROC of TMAO for the diagnosis of DKD was 0.691.ConclusionElevated levels of serum TMAO levels were positively associated with the risk of DKD in T2DM patients, which might be a potential biomarker for DKD.
Project description:BackgroundUrinary sediment messenger RNAs (mRNAs) have been shown as novel biomarkers of kidney disease. We aimed to identify targeted urinary mRNAs in diabetic nephropathy (DN) based on bioinformatics analysis and clinical validation.MethodsMicroarray studies of DN were searched in the GEO database and Nephroseq platform. Gene modules negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were identified by informatics methods. Hub genes were screened within the selected modules. In validation cohorts, a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was used to compare the expression levels of candidate mRNAs. Patients with renal biopsy-confirmed DN were then followed up for a median time of 21 months. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) was defined as the primary endpoint. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was developed to evaluate the prognostic values of candidate mRNAs.ResultsBioinformatics analysis revealed four chemokines (CCL5, CXCL1, CXLC6 and CXCL12) as candidate mRNAs negatively correlated with eGFR, of which CCL5 and CXCL1 mRNA levels were upregulated in the urinary sediment of patients with DN. In addition, urinary sediment mRNA of CXCL1 was negatively correlated with eGFR (r = -0.2275, P = 0.0301) and CCL5 level was negatively correlated with eGFR (r = -0.4388, P < 0.0001) and positively correlated with urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (r = 0.2693, P = 0.0098); also, CCL5 and CXCL1 were upregulated in patients with severe renal interstitial fibrosis. Urinary sediment CCL5 mRNA was an independent predictor of ESRD [hazard ratio 1.350 (95% confidence interval 1.045-1.745)].ConclusionsUrinary sediment CCL5 and CXCL1 mRNAs were upregulated in DN patients and associated with a decline in renal function and degree of renal interstitial fibrosis. Urinary sediment CCL5 mRNA could be used as a potential prognostic biomarker of DN.
Project description:BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the β-klotho (KLB) expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to determine its value as a novel molecular target for survival prognosis in patients with NSCLC.MethodsThe serum KLB concentrations in 50 patients with NSCLC and the 20 healthy persons were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. The relationship between serum KLB level, including the level change after therapy, and the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. The KLB expression in A549 cells was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting. The function of cells was revealed by in vitro studies.ResultsThe concentrations of serum KLB in patients with NSCLC were obviously lower than those in healthy subjects. KLB expression was significantly increased in patients after chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) targeted therapy. In addition, expression of KLB was positively related with PFS and OS. Compared with 16-human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells, the expression level of KLB was significantly decreased in A549 cells. Overexpression of KLB suppressed the proliferation of A549 cells, along with G1-to-S phase arrest and apoptosis induction.ConclusionsKLB plays an anti-tumorigenic role in NSCLC. KLB may be a candidate target for the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC and may serve a potentially significant role in future clinical applications.
Project description:Objectives: Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) was found to increase in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, the clinical value of urine NGAL as diagnostic indicators in DKD remains to be clarified. Methods: Relevant studies were systematically retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Stratified analyses and regression analyses were performed. Results: Fourteen studies with 1561 individuals were included in our analysis, including 1204 cross-sectional participants and 357 cohort participants. For the cross-sectional studies, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of NGAL in the diagnosis of DKD were 0.82 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.75-0.87) and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.68-0.90), respectively. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 19 (95% CI: 11-33), and the overall area under the curve was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90). For the cohort studies, the pooled sensitivity and specificity of NGAL in the diagnosis of DKD were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.91-0.98) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84-0.92), respectively. The overall area under the curve was 0.98, indicating good discriminative ability of NGAL as biomarkers for DKD. Conclusions: Urine NGAL, as the early diagnostic marker of DKD, might have the high diagnostic value, especially in cohort studies.
Project description:α-Klotho is a known anti-aging protein that exerts diverse physiological effects, including phosphate homeostasis. Klotho expression occurs predominantly in the kidney and is significantly decreased in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, changes in serum klotho levels and impacts of klotho on outcomes among kidney transplant (KTx) recipients and kidney donors remain unclear. A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database from inception through October 2019 to identify studies evaluating serum klotho levels and impacts of klotho on outcomes among KTx recipients and kidney donors. Study results were pooled and analyzed utilizing a random-effects model. Ten cohort studies with a total of 431 KTx recipients and 5 cohort studies with a total of 108 living kidney donors and were identified. After KTx, recipients had a significant increase in serum klotho levels (at 4 to 13 months post-KTx) with a mean difference (MD) of 243.11 pg/mL (three studies; 95% CI 67.41 to 418.81 pg/mL). Although KTx recipients had a lower serum klotho level with a MD of = -234.50 pg/mL (five studies; 95% CI -444.84 to -24.16 pg/mL) compared to healthy unmatched volunteers, one study demonstrated comparable klotho levels between KTx recipients and eGFR-matched controls. Among kidney donors, there was a significant decrease in serum klotho levels post-nephrectomy (day 3 to day 5) with a mean difference (MD) of -232.24 pg/mL (three studies; 95% CI -299.41 to -165.07 pg/mL). At one year following kidney donation, serum klotho levels remained lower than baseline before nephrectomy with a MD of = -110.80 pg/mL (two studies; 95% CI 166.35 to 55.24 pg/mL). Compared to healthy volunteers, living kidney donors had lower serum klotho levels with a MD of = -92.41 pg/mL (two studies; 95% CI -180.53 to -4.29 pg/mL). There is a significant reduction in serum klotho levels after living kidney donation and an increase in serum klotho levels after KTx. Future prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of changes in klotho on clinical outcomes in KTx recipients and living kidney donors.
Project description:Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the major complications of type 1 and 2 diabetes, and is the predominant cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. The treatment of DKD normally consists of controlling blood glucose and improving kidney function. The blockade of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and the inhibition of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) have become the first-line therapy of DKD, but such treatments have been difficult to effectively block continuous kidney function decline, eventually resulting in kidney failure and cardiovascular comorbidities. The complex mechanism of DKD highlights the importance of multiple therapeutic targets in treatment. Chinese herbal medicine (active compound, extract and formula) synergistically improves metabolism regulation, suppresses oxidative stress and inflammation, inhibits mitochondrial dysfunction, and regulates gut microbiota and related metabolism via modulating GLP-receptor, SGLT2, Sirt1/AMPK, AGE/RAGE, NF-κB, Nrf2, NLRP3, PGC-1α, and PINK1/Parkin pathways. Clinical trials prove the reliable evidences for Chinese herbal medicine against DKD, but more efforts are still needed to ensure the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine. Additionally, the ideal combined therapy of Chinese herbal medicine and conventional medicine normally yields more favorable benefits on DKD treatment, laying the foundation for novel strategies to treat DKD.
Project description:Despite considerable advancements in medicine, the optimal treatment for chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially diabetic kidney disease (DKD), remains a major challenge. More patients with DKD succumb to death due to cardiovascular events than due to progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Moreover, patients with DKD and ESRD have remarkably poor prognosis. Current studies have appreciated the contribution of inflammation and inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related biomarkers, on the development/progression of DKD. The present review focuses on molecular roles, serum concentrations of TNF receptors (TNFRs), and their association with increased albuminuria, eGFR decline, and all-cause mortality in diabetes. Experimental studies have suggested that DKD progression occurs through the TNF?-TNFR2 inflammatory pathway. Moreover, serum TNFR levels were positively associated with albuminuria and negatively associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), while circulating levels of TNFRs exhibited an independent effect on all-cause mortality and eGFR decline, including ESRD, even after adjusting for existing risk factors. However, their precise function has yet to be elucidated and requires further studies.