• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1438-1443
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• 2009

Renal fibrosis is a final common manifestation of every type of chronic kidney disease. Plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 is induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and is known to play an essential role in the progress of renal fibrosis. In this paper, we found that an isoprenoid antibiotic, ascofuranone (AF), suppresses expression of profibrotic factors, PAI-1 and promoter activity of PAI-1 induced by LPS in rat kidney fibroblast cells. We therefore investigated signaling pathway mediated inhibitory effects of LPS-induced PAI-1 by AF in rNRK-49F cells. PAI-1 expression is suppressed by treatment with kinase inhibitors for MEK-1/2, as it isin inhibition of PAI-1 expression by AF, and AF inhibits phosphorylation of ERK-1/2. This study suggest that AF suppresses expression of PAI-1 through the inhibition of an ERK-1/2-dependent signal transduction pathway. The data indicates the possibility that AF can be used to prevent the development and progression of renal fibrosis.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2008

Microscopic polyangiitis(MPA) is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis that involves many organ systems including the skin, joint, kidneys, and lungs. In spite of early diagnosis and intensive care, the five-year actuarial patient and kidney survival rates are 65% and 55%. We experienced a case in 7-year-old girl of microscopic polyangiitis presenting with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis which was confirmed by renal biopsy and positive serum perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies(p-ANCA). The diagnosis of patients first renal biopsy was MPA, p-ANCA-associated crescentic glomerulonephritis. The patients second renal biopsy was done 5 years 6 months later since first renal biopsy, and pathologic diagnosis was chronic sclerosing glomerulonephritis, advanced, due to MPA. We began methylprednisolone pulse therapy, combined with a low dose of cyclophosphamide and plasmapheresis therapy. ACE inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker, and cyclophosphamide were used until now and the patients current age is 14 years old. On admission, the patients laboratory findings showed BUN 117 mg/dL and Cr 2.3 mg/dL, while on the hospital day BUN and Cr values fell to 20.8 mg/dL and 1.6 mg/dL. But renal function was progressed to chronic failure with latest laboratory data BUN 51.7 mg/dL and Cr 3.2 mg/dL. ACE inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker and small dose of immunosuppressant with close observation is the key to maintain the patient survival.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.63-73
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• 2019

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the effects of Alismatis Rhizoma (AR) pharmacopuncture at BL23 on acute renal failure induced by cisplatin. Methods : The Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into Normal group (no injection of cisplatin and no treatment), Control group (cisplatin injection without treatment), Acu group (needling at BL23 after cisplatin injection), AR-PA1 group (treated with $0.3571mg/kg/20{\mu}l$ of AR pharmacopuncture at BL23 after cisplatin injection), and AR-PA2 group (treated with $1.7855mg/kg/20{\mu}l$ of AR pharmacopuncture at BL23 after cisplatin injection). Each treatment was given once daily for 8 days. Changes in body weight, kidney weight, tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), serum blood urea nitrogen (serum BUN), and serum creatinine were observed. Results : Body weight was significantly increased in AR-PA1 on $4^{th}$ and $6^{th}$ days and AR-PA2 on $2^{nd}$ day. $TNF-{\alpha}$ was significantly decreased in Acu, AR-PA1 and AR-PA2 groups. Cu-Zn SOD was significantly increased in AR-PA2 group. GPx was significantly increased in AR-PA1 and AR-PA2 groups. But kidney weight, IL-6, serum BUN and serum creatinine were not significantly changed in any groups compared to control group. Conclusions : In acute renal failure induced by cisplatin, AR pharmacopuncture has a mitigating effect on the inflammatory reaction related to the increase of $TNF-{\alpha}$ in the kidney tissue and a protective effect on the oxidative stress of the kidney tissue. However it is unlikely to restore the glomerular function or inhibit the renal swelling.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2009

The purpose of this report was to provide the information about activity and safety of Yukmijihwang-tang by analyzing domestic/international papers and theses about Yukmijihwang-tang. Domestic/international papers and theses related to Yukmijihwang-tang were reviewed and analyzed. These papers were then classified by year, experimental method, and activity subject. The following results were obtained in this study. The study of Yukmijihwang-tang started from 1978 and was rapidly increased after 1990s. The study of Yukmijihwang-tang was continuously increased now and was mainly forcused on experimental model rather than clinical study. The paper of SCI journal or non-SCI journal was 27 volume and the other domestic paper was 64 volume. The total papers of Yukmijihwang-tang, 91 volume was analysed in this study. Allatoin, gallic acid, loganin, morroniside, paeoniflorin, paenol, urosolic acid were determined in Yukmijihwang-tang by using HPLC and HPLC-MS-MS. In classified Yukmijihwang-tang paper by experimental method and animal, more than a half study was in vivo experiment used rat. Furthermore clinical experiments were performed variously. As these studies were classified by subject, papers related to renal function were most abundant by 16 papers. Besides there were several papers related to cognitive vitality, anti-diabetic effect, immuno-regulation, reproductive activity, anti-oxidant effect, liver function, anti-cancer and blood pressure depress. According to basic research and clinic research data, it is supported that Yukmijihwang-tang was useful prescription in renal function, cognitive vitality, anti-diabetic effect and reproductive activity. Many study of basic and clinic research were performed and reported variously on Yukmijihwang-tang in domestic/international journal. According to basic research and clinic research data, it is supported that Yukmijihwang-tang was useful prescription in renal function, cognitive vitality, anti-diabetic effect and reproductive activity. However, studies on efficacy and mechanism of Yukmijihwang-tang should be conducted at the molecular biology level and studies on safety of Yukmijihwang-tang need to be completed at the clinical level.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.228-233
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• 2012

Two years ago, a 75-year-old female was diagnosed left renal cancer and went on radical nephrectomy. Recently, metastatized lesions on lumbar spine and various lymph nodes including paraaortic lymph node of which diameter was about 5.5 cm was identified. She suffered from extreme low back pain despite using opioid agents of fentanyl patch and oral oxycodone. During about one month, Korean medicine therpies including herbal medicine(Yang-He tang), acupuncture with her conventional medications were co-administered. However her pain didn't improved and gradual cough and dyspnea developed. So she transferred to the hemato-oncology part for 2 weeks under the diagnosis of everolimus-induced noninfectious pneumonitis. After quitting everolimus her pneumonitis was improved and she came back our ward and started another herbal medicine, Ai-Tong-Ning tang for about 2 months. During this period, her pain was well managed without oral opioid agents and her paraaortic lymph node was regressed to about 2.2cm in diameter.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.1 s.57
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• pp.95-102
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• 1995

The pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy is still not completely understood while renal disease is one of the most common disabling complications of diabetes. We, in the present study, investigated the possible involvement of oxidative stress in the development of diabetic nephropathy. To hasten the development of diabetic nephropathy, streptozotocin was injected to unilaterally nephrectomized rats (NEPH-STZ). Eight weeks later, NEPH-STZ rats developed severe hyperglycemia, proteinuria, and hypertension. The kidneys of these rats showed compensatory hypertrophy and mesangial expansion. In contrast, the rats with streptozotocin injection alone (STZ) did not increase urinary protein excretion. Nephrectomized non-diabetic rats (NEPH) developed increased urine protein excretion, but without prominent renal morphological changes. However, oxidation of renal cortical tissue protein significantly increased in all 3 groups of NEPH, STZ and NEPH-STZ in comparison to control rats (CONT). The result indicates the non-specificity of the oxidative tissue damage and suggests that the oxidative damage is hardly a sole mechanism leading to the development of the diabetic nephropathy. However, it would still be a contributing factor considering that the oxidative stress is a common final pathway mediating tissue damages in chronic diabetic complications and other serious illness.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.153-166
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• 2013

Yang deficiency pattern is a representative syndrome differentiation. This article is a study on to which categories of modern diseases yang deficiency is assigned by reference to modern clinical papers and the meaning of yang deficiency interpreted with a perspective of Korean Medicine and a modern perspective. Yang deficiency, yang qi deficiency, lack of yang qi and yang qi debilitation are the words found in "Nei Ching" and yang qi can be interpreted as something to warm, drive and arouse. Zhangzhongjing considered recovery or loss of Yang as the key to life in "Shanghanlun". Danxi proposed "Yang being liable to hyperactivity, Yin being insufficient" and emphasized pathological ministerial fire of Yang exuberance rather than physiological ministerial fire of Yang deficiency. Zhangjingyue proposed "Yang not being in excess, Yin being often deficient" and understood growth and decline of yin qi are all led by yang qi and put emphasis on true yin in addition to yang qi. Diseases of yang deficiency pattern are related with decline of metabolic level, hypofunction of internal secretion, disorder of immune function, disorder of automatic nerve system, sympathetic nerve inhibition, metabolic disorder of microelements, increase of cGMP, change of microcirculation, low speed of blood stream, kidney malfunction. Diseases related with kidney are sterility, polycystic ovary syndrome, spinal stenosis, edema, renal failure, IgA nephropathy, erectile dysfunction, nephritis, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, decrease of adrenal cortical hormone by nephrotic syndrome, myelodysplastic syndrome. Disease related with heart are heart failure, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis heart disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, pulmonary heart disease. Diseases related with spleen are irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis. Diseases related with liver are hypothyroidism, liver cirrhosis ascites, hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis, hepatic diabetes. Diseases related with lung are allergic rhinitis, cough variant asthma, bronchial asthma, pulmonary emphysema. And diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, aplastic anemia, headache, encephalatrophy, Alzheimer's disease are also related with yang deficiency.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2020

Purpose: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is among etiologies of secondary membranous nephropathy (MN) in pediatric patients. We evaluated expression of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R), a specific target antigen of primary MN, in pediatric HBV-related MN. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with biopsy-proven HBV-related MN from the renal biopsy registry and electronic medical records of Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea, from 1993 to 2004. Paraffin-embedded human kidney tissues were retrieved and immunohistochemically stained for PLA2R. Results: Ten pediatric patients with 13 biopsied specimens were reviewed. The predominant pathological stage was stage II-III, and second was stage II. The intensity of staining for IgG was greatest, with less intense staining for IgM, IgA, C3, C4, and C1q. All the patients had angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor combined with glucocorticoid, and four patients converted to cyclosporine treatment from glucocorticoid monotherapy. Urinalysis of all the patients normalized after variable period. PLA2R staining was demonstrated in the outer glomerulus in 3 out of 13 biopsies, 2 of which were obtained from the same patient over a 5-year interval. Conclusions: PLA2R was expressed in a small number of cases diagnosed as pediatric HBV-related MN, indicating that some HBV-related MN cases may be primary MN concurrent with HBV infection.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.52.1-52.10
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• 2024

Importance: Kidney disease is prevalent among veterinary species, including zoo animals; however, investigations into this condition in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are scarce. Diagnostic tools for kidney diseases in this species also remain limited. Objective: This study aimed to assess the utility of symmetric dimethylarginine as a biomarker for kidney disease in captive striped skunks in Korea. Methods: This retrospective study analysed 11 striped skunks housed at the Everland Zoo between 2017 and 2021. Blood samples were collected during health checks. Kidney function was assessed through blood analysis and diagnostic ultrasound, with necropsies conducted on deceased animals. Symmetric dimethylarginine levels were measured in 27 plasma samples collected from 11 skunks. Results: Over the study period, seven skunks were diagnosed with kidney disease. Analysis of 27 blood samples revealed a concurrent increase in SDMA levels with concentrations of blood urea nitrogen and blood creatinine. In 3 of the 7 skunks with kidney disease, symmetric dimethylarginine exceeded 14 ㎍/dL prior to the elevation of blood urea nitrogen and blood creatinine above the upper reference limit. Conclusions and Relevance: To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating symmetric dimethylarginine in captive striped skunks in Korea. Our findings suggest that symmetric dimethylarginine may serve as an early and consistent biomarker for renal dysfunction in striped skunks. Further studies with larger clinical sample size from striped skunks are needed to validate the clinical utility of blood symmetric dimethylarginine concentration.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 1998

Purpose : Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been involved in several forms of immune-related glomerulopathy but the pathogenic role of HBV infection is not clear. To evaluate the clinicopathological features of HBV-associated glomerulopathy, a clinicopathological analysis and immunohistochemical stain for HBs Ag and HBe Ag were done. Methods : Clinicopathological features of HBV-associated glomerulopathy were analyzed with renal biopsies in 28 HBsAg seropositive patients from April 1990 to February 1997 at Pusan Paik Hospital, and immunohistochemical evaluation for HBsAg and HBeAg was done in renal tissues. Light microscopic, immunofluorescent and electron microscopic examination and immunohistochemical staining for HBsAg (DAKO) and HBeAg (BIONIKE) of renal tissue were performed. Result ; 1. The age distribution was 6 to 73 years old, and eight were children and 20 were adults. Male : female ratio was 3:1. Nineteen (67.9%) and 21 (75.0%) of 28 cases showed hematuria and proteinuria, respectively at the time of biopsy. Sixteen (57.2%) of them had nephrotic syndrome. 2. Liver function test was performed in 11 patients and seven (63.6%) of them showed increased AST and ALT levels. Liver biopsy was done in three patients and revealed findings of chronic active hepatitis. 3. HBV-associated glomerulopathy was membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) in 10 (35.7%), mesangiopathy in 8 (28.6%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in 7 (25.0%) and minimal change disease in 3 (10.7%) out of 28 cases. 4. Ultrastructurally HBV-associated MGN showed conspicuous subepithelial deposits with intramembranous, mesangial and subendothelial deposits and proliferation of mesangial cells and matrix, which were suggestive of MPGN. In HBV-associated MPGN, intramembranous and subepithelial deposits were scattered. 5. Immunohistochemical staining revealed no expression for HBsAg, but positive reaction for HBeAg along capillary wall in 8 cases (28.6%), of which 3 cases were checked for serum HBeAg, all showed positivity. Conclusion : HBV-associated glomerulopathy showed a wide morphologic spectrum and overlapping ultrastructural features in MGN and MPGN, and the activity of hepatitis B virus may be related to the development of HBV-associated glomerulopathy but further studies are recommended to confirm this relationship.