Suk Hee Lee

Inhibitory Effect of Pravastatin on Transforming Growth Factor β1-Inducible Gene h3 Expression in a Rat Model of Chronic Cyclosporine Nephropathy

Background/Aims: Overexpression of transforming growth factor β1-inducible gene h3 (βig-h3) is associated with renal scarring in several models of renal disease. We investigated the inhibitory effect of pravastatin on βig-h3 expression in a rat model of chronic cyclosporin A (CsA)-induced nephropathy. Methods: Adult Sprague Dawley rats kept on a low salt diet (0.05% sodium) were treated daily for 4 weeks with vehicle (olive oil, 1 ml/kg), CsA (15 mg/kg) or both CsA and pravastatin (20 mg/kg in drinking water). The effect of pravastatin on βig-h3 expression was evaluated using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and immunoblotting. Functional parameters, histopathology (tubulointerstitial fibrosis, TIF, and arteriolopathy), and levels of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase were compared for the different treatment groups. Results: Co-administration of pravastatin significantly inhibited βig-h3 mRNA production and gene expression within the tubulointerstitium of the CsA-treated kidneys, and this paralleled an attenuation of TIF (12.7 ± 2.2 vs. 35.9 ± 5.4%, p < 0.01 vs. CsA) and the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA (279 ± 40 vs. 719 ± 85%, p < 0.01 vs. CsA). Pravastatin treatment reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein levels and reversed the renal dysfunction caused by CsA. Neither CsA nor pravastatin affected total serum cholesterol or triglyceride levels in the treatment groups. Conclusion: Pravastatin thus effectively abrogated the upregulation of βig-h3 gene expression and associated TGF-β1 production, and this was associated with attenuated TIF in this model of chronic CsA-induced nephropathy.

Blockade of Angiotensin II with Losartan Attenuates Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Inducible Gene-h3 (βig-h3) Expression in a Model of Chronic Cyclosporine Nephrotoxicity

Background: We recently demonstrated that upregulation of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 inducible gene-h3 (βig-h3) is associated with tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) in a rat model of chronic cyclosporine A (CsA) nephrotoxicity. This study investigated the association between βig-h3 expression and TIF during losartan treatment in this model. Methods: Adult Sprague-Dawley rats kept on a salt-depleted diet (0.05% sodium) were treated daily for 4 weeks with vehicle (olive oil, 1 ml/kg), CsA (15 mg/kg) or both CsA and losartan (10 mg/kg in drinking water). The effect of losartan on βig-h3 expression was evaluated using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Histopathology, expressions of TGF-β1 and intrarenal angiotensin II were compared across treatment groups. Results: Concurrent administration of losartan significantly attenuated βig-h3 mRNA and protein expression within the tubulointerstitium of CsA-treated kidneys. This was accompanied by the retardation of TIF (18 ± 5 vs. 39 ± 5%, p < 0.01 vs. CsA) and the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA (336 ± 49 vs. 685 ± 63%, p < 0.01 vs. CsA) and the number of angiotensin II-positive glomeruli (18 ± 5 vs. 38 ± 6, p < 0.05 vs. CsA). Conclusion: Losartan is capable of abrogating the upregulation of TGF-β1 and βig-h3 expression, and this is associated with attenuated tubulointerstitial fibrosis in chronic CsA nephrotoxicity.

Preventable trauma death rate in Daegu, South Korea

Objective This study investigated the preventable death rate in Daegu, South Korea, and assessed affecting factors and preventable factors in order to improve the treatment of regional trauma patients. Methods All traumatic deaths between January 2012 and December 2012 in 5 hospitals in Daegu were analyzed by panel review, which were classified into preventable and non-preventable deaths. We determined the factors affecting trauma deaths and the preventable factors during trauma care. Results There were overall 358 traumatic deaths during the study period. Two hundred thirty four patients were selected for the final analysis after excluding cases of death on arrival, delayed death, and unknown causes. The number of preventable death was 59 (25.2%), which was significantly associated with mode of arrival, presence of head injury, date, and time of injury. A multivariate analysis revealed that preventable death was more likely when patients were secondly transferred from another hospital, visited hospital during non-office hour, and did not have head injuries. The panel discovered 145 preventable factors, which showed that majority of factors occurred in emergency departments (49.0%), and were related with system process (76.6%). Conclusion The preventable trauma death rate in Daegu was high, and mostly process-related.

Consultants for the American Journal of Nephrology 2005

Sandra Garber Cybele Ghossein Richard Glassock Alan Go Laurence Greenbaum Karen Griffi n S. Grigoryev Krishnamurthy Gudehithlu Peter Hart Koichi Hayashi Peter Heering Susan Hou John Hoyer Randall Hudson Todd Ing Eunice John Richard Johnson Michelle Josephson Pradeep Kadambi Ramesh Khanna Orly Kohn Jeff Kopp Mark Kraus Jerome Lane Craig Langman James Lash David Leehey Oliver Lenz Edgar Lerma Jerrold Levine Wilfred Lieberthal Stuart Linas Jill Lindberg Natalia Litbarg Gerard London Rodger Loutzenhiser Friedrich Luft K. Matsumoto Peter McCullough Patrick Murray Naoyuki Nakao Kevin Abbott Rajiv Agarwal Sharon Anderson Gema Ariceta John Asplin Simon Atkinson Asad Bakir George Bakris Vinod Bansal Amelia Bartholomew Amy Barton Pai Daniel Batlle Vecihi Batuman Enrico Benedetti Angelito Bernardo Anil Bidani Peter Blake Anthony Bleyer W. Kline Bolton Michael Braun Carolyn Brecklin Harold Bregman Ellen Brooks Vito Campese Sule Cataltepe Nina Clark Jay Cohn Richard Cohn Judith Cook Andrey Cybulsky Mohamed Daha Farhard Danesh Janice Douglas George Dunea Lance Dworkin Beatrice Edwards Leon Ferder Steven Fishbane Kenneth Fisher Mary Foster Barry Freedman