Overview of pathophysiology, diagnosis, biomarkers, treatment and recent advances in the management of diabetic nephropathy

2019-05-04T05:05:31+00:00

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common devastating complication of diabetes mellitus and prime etiology of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Age, genetic predisposition, poor glycemic control, uncontrolled blood pressure, dyslipidemia, obesity, smoking are major risk factors. Hyperglycemia is the primary pathogenic factor for activation and maintenance of molecular signaling pathways involving activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokine production which play a key role in development of Diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) causes afferent arteriole dilatation, while RAAS activation leads to vasoconstriction of efferent arteriole which aggravates and sustains the glomerular hypertension may further worsen the nephropathy. Diagnosis is based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria. Newer biomarkers are being investigated to detect DN in early stages even before Microalbuminuria (MA). Optimal glycemic control , blood pressure control and Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) blockers play a role in delaying the progression however newer therapies may address the unmet needs for prevention of DN.

Extreme stress tolerance in tardigrade biology

2022-09-06T17:40:34+00:00

In a wide range of species, disordered proteins have long been recognised to assist in mediating tolerance to various abiotic stimuli such as freezing, osmotic stress, high temperatures, and desiccation. Recently, three unique families of intrinsically disordered proteins found in tardigrades, tiny creatures able to endure a variety of environmental extremes, were discovered. The Cytoplasmic-, Secreted-, and Mitochondrial- Abundant Heat Soluble (CAHS, SAHS, and MAHS) proteins are part of these three families and are referred to as Tardigrade Disordered Proteins together (TDPs). TDPs are unique to tardigrades in terms of sequence conservation, and aside from their extreme degree of dysfunction, the CAHS, SAHS, and MAHS families are unrelated. All three families are either greatly enriched in response to desiccation or strongly expressed constitutively. Experiments conducted in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro reveal functional functions for each TDP family member in reducing cellular disturbances brought on by diverse abiotic stressors. A thorough and complete knowledge of the underlying processes by which TDPs operate, as well as the characteristics of TDPs that enable them to operate via those mechanisms, is still missing. To pinpoint precisely what cellular damage TDPs defend against, what sequence properties are crucial for these tasks, and how those sequence features contribute to the underlying mechanisms of protection, a quantitative and methodical approach is required. This method will teach us about these intriguing proteins as well as how a disordered protein's sequence might affect its structural, dynamic, and functional characteristics.

International Journal of Research In Endocrinology, Diabetes And Metabolic Disorders

Overview of pathophysiology, diagnosis, biomarkers, treatment and recent advances in the management of diabetic nephropathy

Extreme stress tolerance in tardigrade biology