• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.219-222
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• 2000

Renal inflammatory pseudotumor is a very rare benign condition of unknown etiology characterized by proliferative myofibroblasts, fibroblasts, histiocytes, and plasma cells. In the case we report, the lesion appeared on contrast-enhanced power Doppler US images as a well-defined hypoechoic mass with intratumoral vascularity, and on CT as a low-attenuated mass. Differentiation from malignant renal neoplasms was not possible.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.133-144
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• 2000

Objective: Several water channels (aquaporins; AQP) that belong to the MIP (major intrinsic protein) family have identified. In the selected tissues including red blood cells or renal tubules, water movements are abundant and/or physiologically important. Unexpectedly, a high water permeability of human and ram sperm has been reported. Recent studies showed that AQP7 and AQP8 are present in testes, so that the high water permeability of human sperm suggested to be mediated by AQPs. Method: To identify the identity of aquaporins expressed in testes, RT-PCR was performed using degenerative primers, which were designed to correspond to highly conserved sequences surrounding the Asn-Pro-Ala (NPA) motifs in the aquaporins. New expressed AQP series were reconfirmed by immunohistochemical study using rabbit polyclonal antibodies. Results: DNA sequencing of PCR products revealed that AQP2 and AQP3 mRNA as well as AQP7 and AQP8 are expressed in human and rat testes. In human and rat testes, AQP2 are expressed in spermatozoa, interstitial cells and myofibroblasts and AQP3 are expressed in myofibroblasts of semineferous tubules on immunocytochemical stain. Conclusion: These results indicate that multiple aquaporins are expressed in testes, and that they may have important roles in the spermatogenesis and the germ cell function of testis.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.175-188
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• 2022

혈관과 섬유증 기관들의 평활근과 세포외기질에 대한 릴랙신의 조절기능이 입증되어왔다. 본 총설에서는 저항성 소동맥과 방광을 포함한 섬유증 기관들의 세포외기질에 작용하는 릴랙신의 다양한 기전들을 고찰한다. 릴랙신은 혈관 평활근육의 수축을 억제하고, 콜라겐과 같은 세포외기질의 구성성분들을 감소키켜 혈관벽의 수동적 신전성을 증가시킴으로써, 혈관확장을 유도한다. 릴랙신이 동맥의 혈관확장을 유도하는 주된 세포기전은 RXFP1/PI3K의 활성화, Akt 인산화 및 eNOS 활성화를 통한 내피세포-의존성 산화질소의 생성에 의해 매개된다. 추가적으로, 릴랙신은 또한 다른 대체경로들을 작동하여 신장과 장간막 동맥의 혈관확장을 증가시킨다. 신장 소동맥에서, 릴랙신은 내피세포의 MMPs 및 EtB 수용체의 활성화와 VEGF 및 PlGF의 생성을 촉진하여, 평활근의 수축성과 콜라겐의 침착을 억제함으로써 혈관확장을 초래한다. 이와 달리, 장간막 소동맥에서, 릴랙신은 bradykinin (BK)-유도 이완을 시간-의존적으로 증강시킨다. BK-매개 이완의 신속 증가는 IK_Ca 이온통로와 뒤이은 EDH 유발에 의존하는 반면, BK에 의한 지속적 이완은 COX 활성과 PGI₂에 의존한다. 릴랙신의 항섬유화 효과는 염증유발 면역세포의 침투, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) 및 근섬유아세포의 분화와 활성을 억제하여 매개된다. 릴랙신은 또한 근섬유아세포 내 NOS/NO/cGMP/PKG-1 경로를 활성화하여, TGF-β1-유도 ERK1/2 및 Smad2/3 신호의 활성과 ECM 콜라겐의 침착을 억제한다.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.52-65
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Epithelial-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the origins of myofibroblasts in renal interstitial fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) alleviating EMT has been proved, but the concrete mechanism is unclear. To explore the mechanism, serum-free MSCs conditioned medium (SF-MSCs-CM) was used to treat rat renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E) fibrosis induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) which ameliorated EMT. Methods and Results: Galectin-3 knockdown (Gal-3 KD) and overexpression (Gal-3 OE) lentiviral vectors were established and transfected into NRK-52E. NRK-52E fibrosis model was induced by TGF-β1 and treated with the SF-MSCs-CM for 24 h after modelling. Fibrosis and autophagy related indexes were detected by western blot and immunocytochemistry. In model group, the expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin (FN), Galectin-3, Snail, Kim-1, and the ratios of P-Akt/Akt, P-GSK3β/GSK3β, P-PI3K/PI3K, P-mTOR/mTOR, TIMP1/MMP9, and LC3B-II/I were obviously increased, and E-Cadherin (E-cad) and P62 decreased significantly compared with control group. SF-MSCs-CM showed an opposite trend after treatment compared with model group. Whether in Gal-3 KD or Gal-3 OE NRK-52E cells, SF-MSCs-CM also showed similar trends. However, the effects of anti-fibrosis and enhanced autophagy in Gal-3 KD cells were more obvious than those in Gal-3 OE cells. Conclusions: SF-MSCs-CM probably alleviated the EMT via inhibiting Galectin-3/Akt/GSK3β/Snail pathway. Meanwhile, Gal-3 KD possibly enhanced autophagy via inhibiting Galectin-3/Akt/mTOR pathway, which synergistically ameliorated renal fibrosis. Targeting galectin-3 may be a potential target for the treatment of renal fibrosis.