• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.28-37
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• 2022

Treatment options for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are currently limited; therefore, there has been significant interest in applying mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC)-based therapy to treat CKD. However, MSCs harvested from CKD patients tend to show diminished viability and proliferation due to sustained exposure to uremic toxins in the CKD environment, which limits their utility for cell therapy. The application of melatonin has been demonstrated to improve the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs derived from and engrafted to tissues in patients suffering from CKD, although the underlying biological mechanism has not been elucidated. In this study, we observed overexpression of hexokinase-2 (HK2) in serum samples of CKD patients and MSCs harvested from an adenine-fed CKD mouse model (CKD-mMSCs). HK2 upregulation led to increased production levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a toxic metabolic intermediate of abnormal glycolytic processes. The overabundance of HK2 and MG was associated with impaired mitochondrial function and low cell proliferation in CKD-mMSCs. Melatonin treatment inhibited the increases in HK2 and MG levels, and further improved mitochondrial function, glycolytic metabolism, and cell proliferation. Our findings suggest that identifying and characterizing metabolic regulators such as HK2 in CKD may improve the efficacy of MSCs for treating CKD and other kidney disorders.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.13-30
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• 1985

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of lead on organisms. Mice received 15mg or 30mg of lead acetate per kg body weight every day for 1, 2 or 3 weeks, and the livers and kidneys were removed 24h after repeated injections. The livers and kidneys were used as sources for measurement of enzyme activities and for observation of alterations in ultrastructure. It was observed that body weights of mice treated with lead acetate were decreased when compared with those before treatment. This decrease in body weight was proportional to dose. The enzyme activities of succinate and malate dehydrogenases of experimental group that was treated with lead acetate for 1 week were nearly unchanged when compared with controls, but the enzyme activities of experimental group that was treated with lead acetate for 2 or 3 weeks were lower than those of controls. Changes in the enzyme activities were dependent on, but were not proportional to dose. Histologic examination of livers and kidneys after lead treatment showed that lead compound was accumulated and damaged in nucleus and mitochondria mainly. It was also observed that intranuclear inclusion bodies were formed only in epithelial cell of kidney proximal tubule after lead treatment. The overall changes in the ultrastructure were much greater in the livers than in the kidneys. From the above results, it nay be possible to conclude that the lead results in the decrease in body weight, reduction in the succinate dehydrogenate and malate dehydrogenase activities, and damages in the ultrastructure of kidney and liver in mouse. The presence of intranuclear inclusion bodies only in the kidney implies that these bodies protect the kidney from lead toxicity to some extent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.449-456
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• 1998

Using morphometric technique, the present study was made of the kidney of rabbit embryo in the 13 days of the gestation. Their section areas of the renal tubules and the glomerular cells were compared with the those of adult rabbit, 1. In the developing renal tubule, the tubular section areas were larger than that of the adult, but the nuclear section areas of tubular calls were smaller than the adult. The microvilli of their cell surface were poorly developed, and their cytoplasm contained well developed mitochondria with euchromatic nucleus. 2. In the developing glomeruli. the nuclear section area of the cells of the parietal layer, the podocytes, and the endothelial cells were similar size, but their nuclei were larger than those of the adult. The cytopalsm of the podocytes contained well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and round mitochondria.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.199-204
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• 2006

Objectives: Mercury is a hazardous organ-specific environmental contaminant. It exists in a wide variety of physical and chemical states, each of which has unique characteristics for the target organ specificity. Exposure to mercury vapor and to organic mercury compounds specifically affects the CNS, while the kidney is the target organ for inorganic Hg compounds. Methods: In this study, mercury chloride $(HgCl_2)$ was studied in a renal derived cell system, i.e., the tubular epithelial Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line, which has specific sensitivity to the toxic effect of mercury. MDCK cells were cultured for 6-24 hr in vitro in various concentrations (0.1-100 M) of $HgCl_2$, and the markers of apoptosis or cell death were assayed, including DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activity andwestern blotting of cytochrome c. The influence of the metal on cell proliferation and viability were evaluated by the conventional MTT test. Results: The cell viability was decreased in a time and concentration dependent fashion: decreases were noted at 6, 12 and 24 hr after $HgCl_2$, exposure. The increases of DNA fragmentation were also observed in the concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M of $HgCl_2$ at 6 hr after exposure. However, we could not observe DNA fragmentation in the concentrations more than 25 M because the cells rapidly proceeded to necrotic cell death. The activation of caspase-3 was also observed at 6 hr exposure in the $HgCl_2$ concentrations from 0.1 to 10 M. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol, which is an initiator of the activation of the caspase cascade, was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that the activation of caspase-3 was involved in $HgCl_2-induced$ apoptosis. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol was also observed in the $HgCl_2-treated$ MDCK cells. These findings indicate that in MDCK cells, $HgCl_2$ is a potent inducer of apoptosis via cytochrome c release from the mitochondria.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.27-40
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• 1993

This study was taken to examine the light microscopic and ultrastructural changes of gill and kidney of female tilapia{Oreochromis niloticus) adapted in 0%o, 10%o, 20%o, and 30%o salt concentrations, respectively, by light, scanning and transmission electron microscope. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows: Gill chloride cell hyperplasia, gill lamellar epithelial separation, kidney glomerular shrinkage, blood congestion in kidneys and deposition of hyalin droplets in kidney glomeruli, tubules were the histological alterations in Oreochromis niloticus. Incidence and severity of gill chloride cell hyperplasia rapidly increased together with increase of salinity, and the number of chloride cells in gill lamellae rapidly increased in response to high external NaCl concentrations. The ultrastructure by scanning electron microscope(SEM) indicated that the gill secondary lamella of tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to seawater, were characterized by rough convoluted surfaces during the adaptation. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) indicated that mitochondria in chloride cells exposed to seawater, were both large and elongate and contained well-developed cristae. TEM also showed the increased chloride cells exposed to seawater. The presence of two mitochondria-rich cell types is discussed with regard to their possible role in the hypoosmoregulatory changes which occur during seawater-adaptation. Most Oreochromis niloticus adapted in seawater had an occasional glomerulus completely filling Bowman's capsule in kidney, and glomerular shrinkage was occurred higher in kidney tissues of individuals living in 10%o, 20%o, 30%o of seawater than in those living in 0%o of freshwater, and blood congestion was occurred severer in kidney tissues of individuals living 20%o, 30%o of seawater than in those living in 10%o of seawater. There were decreases in the glomerular area and the nuclear area in the main segments of the nephron, and that the nuclear areas of the nephron cells in seawater-adapted tilapia were of smaller size than those from freshwater-adapted fish. Our findings demonstrated that Oreochromis niloticus tolerated moderately saline environment and the increased body weight living in 30%o was relatively higher than that living in 10%o in spite of histopathological changes.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect the lead toxicity of chitosan on the rats. A healthy male of Wistar rat was used for experiment. The lead acetate (30 mg/kg, Pb) was injected two times per a week into the abdomen. 0.1% chitosan solution (1 mg/ml) was supplied by feeding ad libitum. After 4 or 8 weeks, we was observed kidney by electron microscope. The experimental groups were divided into two groups. Group 1 was control group which was not treated with chitosan solution after contaminatation of lead acetate. Group 2 was experimental group which was treated with chitosan solution after contamination of lead acetate. All groups were used to 10 rats. The results were as follow: On the proximal convoluted tubules of the group with only Pb, the number of microvillis were decreased and the number of lysosomes were increased on the cytoplasm. The mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum were extended and ribosomes dropped from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. On the proximal convoluted tubules of the group with Pb-chitosan, the shapes and number of microvilli were not changed and the number of lysosomes were decreased. The shapes of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum observed not changes. We concluded that chitosan has effect on reducing toxicity of lead in the rat kidney.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.817-823
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• 1997

Suckling piglets and weaned pigs showed anorexia, dehydration, severe abdominal breathing, emaciation and paresis from Oct. 1993. to Nov. 1993. Five 2-week-old piglets were submitted for diagnosis in Kangwon National University. At necropsy, the pin-point well demarcated yellowish white foci were scattered on the surface of the lung, heart, liver, spleen and kidney. Histologically, multifocal areas of necrosis with mononuclear cells infiltration were found in the lung, heart, liver, lymph node, spleen, kidney and small intestine. These lesions tended to be associated with blood vessels. Variable round to ovoid tachyzoites were located at the periphery of the lesions. The organisms were demonstrated as Toxoplasma gondii by immunohistochemical staining method. Ultrastructurally, this parasite was surrounded with parasitophorous vacuole in alveolar macrophage. The parasite was crescent-shaped and $6{\sim}8{\times}1{\sim}2{\mu}m$ in size. It was enclosed by an thick outer membrane and an underlying thin inner membrane. Several club-shaped paired organelles and conoids lay in the cytoplasm at the anterior. Numerous round body and one to several mitochondria were presented in the cytoplasm. Based on the gross findings, histopathology, immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings, this case was diagnosed as toxoplasmosis in piglets.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.663-669
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamin E on the histochemical change of kidney tissue in diabetic rats. Sprague Dawley male rats weighing 100$\pm$10g were randomly assigned to one normal and three STZ induced diabetic groups, which were subdivided into vitamin E free diet(DM 0E group), 40mg vitamin E per kg diet(DM 40E group) and 400mg vitamin E per kg diet(DM 400E group). Vitamin E level of normal group was 40mg per kg diet. Diabetes was exper imentally induced by intravenous injection of 55mg/kg of body weight of streptozotocin(STZ) in citrate buffer(pH 4.3) after 4 weeks feeding of experimental diets. Animals were sacrificed at the 6th day of diabetic states. The contents of thiobarbituric acid(TBARS) in kidney were increased 119%, 84% and 33% in DM 0E, DM 40E and DM 400E groups, respectively, compared to normal group. That of DM 400E group was decreased 39% compared to DM 0E group. Content of 2 microglobulin in urine in DM 0E, DM 40E, and DM 400E groups were increased by 248%, 181%, and 164%, respectively, compared to normal group. The diabetic groups showed the regressive lesion such as renal tubule, intumescence of epithelial cell, vacuolization. The results of the observation through electronic microscope showed the mitochondria shape of proximal tubule epithelial cell, irregular array, increase of ribosome, and irregular arrangement of small villosity, etc. These types of changes appeared severer in DM 0E group than in DM 400E group. These results indicate that the TBARS productions on kdney in STZ induced diabetic rats were increased, consequently those leaded to damage of renal tubule and minuteness structure. But a large quantity vitimin E supplementation was suppressed in TBARS production and improved in peroxidative damage of renal tissue so that relieved degenerative changes of renal tubule epithelial cell.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2020

Objectives : Mitochondria are typically known as intracellular double membrane-bound structures that supply energy for intracellular metabolism including Krebs cycle and beta-oxidation. Also, acupuncture has been known to stimulate the flow of energy. To explore the effect of acupuncture on the mitochondrial respiratory chain activities in rat's heart and kidneys, the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I to IV were observed. Methods : The rats were divided into 11 groups; Normal (no acupuncture treatment and under anesthesia for 10 min), heart meridian five-transport-points (acupuncture treatment at HT9, HT8, HT7, HT4 and HT3 under anesthesia for 10 min), and kidney meridian five-transport-points (acupuncture treatment at KI1, KI2, KI3, KI7 and KI10 under anesthesia for 10 min). All rats were sacrificed and the heart and kidneys were examined for the changes of respiratory chain activities. Results : Acupuncture at HT7 increased the activity of succinate dehydrogenase; acupuncture at KI2 increased the activity of ubiquinol cytochrome C oxidoreductase; and acupuncture at HT9, HT8, HT3 and KI1 increased activities of cytochrome C oxidase. Conclusions : Acupuncture assists mitochondrial repiratory chain activity via the Cytochrome C oxidase signaling pathway in heart and kidney of rats.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.96-101
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• 1995

To study the immunotoxicity of mouse injected with fungal mycotoxin, T-2 toxin (Fusarium mycotoxin) was treated to 6 week-old female C3H/He mouse and the body, organ weight and morphological change were investigated. The weights of body, liver and kidney of mouse injected the 2 mg/kg of toxin was decreased to 17, 20 and 3%, respectively, compared to control animal and the comsumption of feed was also decreased with lapsing the time. The fat dropleting phenomenon and destruction of Golgi apparatus in liver and histopathological changes of tissue and mitochondria in small intestine were found by scanning electron microscopic observation.