Nephrology

Background/Aims: Although the conversion from tacrolimus (TAC) to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4-immunoglobulin (CTLA4-Ig) is effective in reducing TAC-induced nephrotoxicity, it remains unclear whether CTLA4-Ig has a direct effect on TAC-induced renal injury. In this study, we evaluate..

Background/Aims: We previously proposed minicircle vector technology as the potential platform for the development and production of new biologics. In this study, we have designed a novel target molecule for the treatment of allograft rejection and evaluated its feasibility as the therapeutic agent ..

Background/Aims: Renal ischemia followed by reperfusion (I/R) is a leading cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), which is closely associated with high morbidity and mortality. Studies have shown that induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) exert powerful therapeutic..

Background/Aims: Accumulating evidence indicates that L-carnitine (LC) protects against multiorgan damage through its antioxidant properties and preservation of the mitochondria. Little information is available about the effects of LC on renal fibrosis. This study examined whether LC treatment would..

Background/Aims: Tacrolimus has been used as an immunosuppressive agent in organ transplantation. Despite the therapeutic benefits, tacrolimus’s use is limited due to its nephrotoxicity. To reduce tacrolimus nephrotoxicity, effective humanized experimental models may be helpful. Here, we modeled t..

Background/Aims: Cigarette smoking is an important modifiable risk factor in kidney disease progression. However, the underlying mechanisms for this are lacking. This study aimed to assess whether nicotine (NIC), a major toxic component of cigarette smoking, would exacerbates tacrolimus (TAC)-induce..

Background/Aims: Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀), is a promising antioxidant; however, low bioavailability owing to lipid-solubility is a limiting factor. We developed water-soluble CoQ₁₀ (CoQ₁₀-W) and compared its effects with conventional lipid-soluble CoQ₁₀

Background/Aims: We investigated whether serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) can predict mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Methods: This study enrolled 169 patients who underwent serum NGAL testing at CRRT..

Background/Aims: To investigate if BK virus (BKV)-specific T cell immunity measured by an interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay can predict the outcome of BK virus infection in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Methods: We included 68 KTRs with different viremia status (no virem..

Background/Aims: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ₁₀) has antioxidant effects and is commercially available and marketed extensively. However, due to its low bioavailability, its effects are still controversial. We developed a water-soluble CoQ₁₀-based micelle formulation (CoQ₁₀-W) ..

Background/Aims: It is undetermined if herbal medicines (HM) containing aristolochic acid (AA)-containing have similar nephrotoxicity to AA itself. Methods: We administered HM containing a high concentration of AA for 5 days (short-term study) or a low concentration of AA for 30 days (long-term stu..

Background/Aims: Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an important factor influencing immunologic dysfunction, but the effect of PTH level on infection-related outcomes remains unclear in incident dialysis. Methods: We evaluated a multicenter prospective cohort study of 1,771 incident dialysis patients (1,..

Background/Aims: Evidence suggests that Shen-Kang (SK), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, protects against various types of renal injury. In this study, we evaluated whether SK treatment confers renoprotection in a rat model of chronic tacrolimus (TAC) nephropathy. Methods: Rats were treated d..

Background/Aims: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common primary glomerular disease diagnosed in older patients. Few reports describe the clinical outcomes in older patients with idiopathic MN. Methods: The outcomes of 135 patients with histologically proven MN were analyzed. ‘Older’ was ..

Background/Aims: This study was performed to determine whether adding coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) to metformin (MET) has a beneficial effect as a treatment for sirolimus (SRL)-induced diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: DM was induced in rats by daily treatment with SRL (0.3 mg/kg, subc..

Background/Aims: Anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) treatment for acute T-cell mediated rejection (TCMR) can increase the risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. We aimed to evaluate the effect of valacyclovir prophylaxis against CMV infection after ATG administration as anti-rejection therapy. Methods..

Background/Aims: The true incidence of aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is thought to be underestimated because numerous ingredients known or suspected to contain aristolochic acid (AA) are used in traditional medicine in Korea. Methods: We collected data on cases of AAN since 1996 via a databas..

Transplantation research has focused on cytotoxic T-cell and plasma cell/B-cell-targeted strategies, but little attention has been paid to the role of T helper 17 (Th17) cells in allograft dysfunction. However, accumulating evidence suggests that Th17 cells contribute to the development of acute and..

Background/Aims: Mind bomb-1 (Mib1) encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase, which is required for the initiation of Notch signaling. Recently, it was demonstrated that the renal collecting duct plays an important role in renal fibrosis. Here, we investigated the role of Notch signaling in renal fibro..

The establishment of protocols to differentiate kidney organoids from human pluripotent stem cells provides potential applications of kidney organoids in regenerative medicine. Modeling of renal diseases, drug screening, nephrotoxicity testing of compounds, and regenerative therapy are attractive ap..

Background/Aims: This study investigated the clinical significance of detecting anti-human leukocyte antigen-donor specific antibody (HLA-DSA) in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) requiring indication biopsy owing to allograft dysfunction. Methods: We analyzed the presence of HLA-DSA in 210 KTRs ..

Nephrology

Background/Aims: Metformin (MET) is a first-line drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM); its effect on new-onset diabetes after transplantation caused by immunosuppressant therapy is unclear. We compared the effects of MET on DM caused by tacrolimus (TAC) or sirolimus (SRL). Methods: DM was induced..

Background/Aims: The optimal serum bicarbonate level is controversial for patients who are undergoing hemodialysis (HD). In this study, we analyzed the impact of serum bicarbonate levels on mortality among HD patients. Methods: Prevalent HD patients were selected from the Clinical Research Center re..

Background/Aims: Inadequacy of dialysis is associated with morbidity and mortality in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. Blood flow rate (BFR) during HD is one of the important determinants of increasing dialysis dose. However, the optimal BFR is unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact o..

Background/Aims: Sirolimus (SRL) is a promising immunosuppressant replacingcalcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). This study was performed to evaluate the safetyand immunologic benefits of conversion to SRL in stable kidney transplant (KT)recipients exposed to CNIs for long periods. Methods: Fourteen CNI-t..

Background/Aims: BK virus-associated nephropathy (BKVAN) is an important cause of allograft dysfunction in kidney transplant recipients. It has an unfavorable clinical course, and no definite treatment guidelines have yet been established. Here, we report our center’s experience with biopsy-proven ..

Background/Aims: Patients who undergo repeat kidney transplantations (KTs) are considered at high risk for experiencing immunologic and non-immunologic complications. In this study, we investigated the clinical outcomes, including medical and surgical complications, of patients who underwent a third..

Nephrology

Background/Aims: The effect of high-flux (HF) dialysis on mortality rates could vary with the duration of dialysis. We evaluated the effects of HF dialysis on mortality rates in incident and prevalent hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: Incident and prevalent HD patients were selected from the Cli..

Nephrology

Background/Aims: Recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) following renal transplantation is relatively common. However, the risk factors and optimal pretransplant treatment preventing recurrence of FSGS remain controversial. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 27 adult renal transplan..

Nephrology

We investigated the incidence and clinical characteristics of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the native kidney of renal transplant recipients.

Between 1991 and 2010, 1,425 patients underwent kidney transplantation at our ins..

Chronic hepatitis B infection is a common cause of secondary membranous nephropathy (MN) in endemic areas. Lamivudine treatment improves renal outcome in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated MN (HBV-MN), but prolonged use leads to the emergence of lamivudi..

The nuclear hormone receptor PPARγ is activated by several agonists, including members of the thiazolidinedione group of insulin sensitizers. Pleiotropic beneficial effects of these agonists, independent of their blood glucose-lowering effects, have recently been demonstrated in the vasculature...

Kidney transplantations at our center rely mainly on living donors. The purpose of this study was to suggest future donor supply directions by reviewing changing trends in donor type.

During the past 40 years, 1,690 kidney ..

The efficacy and safety of a combination of ezetimibe and low-dose statin as primary treatment for dyslipidemia in renal transplant patients were evaluated prospectively.

The study enrolled 77 renal transplant recipients wi..

Cyclosporine (CsA) has improved patient and graft survival rates following solid-organ transplantation and has shown significant clinical benefits in the management of autoimmune diseases. However, the clinical use of CsA is often limited by acute or chronic nephropathy, which remains a major pro..

Hepatic subcapsular steatosis is a rare and specific form of fatty change in the liver. It is a unique finding in diabetic patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and intraperitoneal insulin treatment. Intraperitoneal administration of insulin causes a unique pattern o..

Gingival hyperplasia is a frequent complication in transplant patients who receive cyclosporine or calcium channel blockers. We studied an unusual case involving a renal transplant recipient with post-transplant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that manifested as gingival hyperplasia. We initially consider..

The combination of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and chronic renal failure (CRF) is uncommon. This report highlights a case of renal transplantation in a patient with ITP. A 35-year-old man with ITP was admitted with uremic symptoms. A renal transplant and splenectomy was simultaneous..