42 results about "Proximal tubule" patented technology

A method and kit for detecting the immediate or early onset of renal disease and injury, including renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an immediate or early on-set biomarker in a sample of blood serum. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the blood serum following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctuate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the serum is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Use of cilastatin to reduce the nephrotoxicity of different compounds. The invention refers to use of cilastatin to prepare a medicinal product to reduce the nephrotoxicity of a nephrotoxic compound that enters the cells of the proximal tubule through cholesterol rafts. The invention is based on the discovery that a great number of nephrotoxic compounds, including drugs, enter the cells of the proximal tubule through the cholesterol rafts, and that cilastatin is able to interfere with this transport mechanism, decreasing the nephrotoxicity of such compounds to a variable extent. The nephroprotective effect is common to compounds of different chemical nature and solubility and is specific for the kidney, causing no interference with the effects of nephrotoxic drugs having their targets in other organs. Therefore, administration of cilastatin allows for decreasing the nephrotoxic effects of different drugs without reducing their therapeutic effects.

A wet spinning process for forming a tubular fiber membrane is provided. The tubular fiber membrane has a nanoporous skin layer and a microporous lumen layer. The skin layer defines an outer surface of the fiber membrane and the lumen layer defines a lumen surface of the fiber membrane. The pores in the skin layer may have an average pore size of less than about 7 nm, and pores in the lumen layer may have an average pore size of from about 0.5 to about 3 μm. The fiber membranes may be used in artificial renal proximal tubules, artificial kidneys, bioreactors, or fiber cartridges.

The invention provides compositions and methods for treating cancer with glufosfamide in combination with an inhibitor of sodium-glucose transporter type 2 (SGLT2) to block the uptake of glucose in the proximal tubules of the kidneys to decrease renal toxicity. The invention relates to the fields of biomedicine, pharmacology, and molecular biology.

The present invention provides isolated and purified polynucleotides, polypeptides, and antibodies related to mammalian (e.g., mouse and human) legumain and the novel legumain splice variant, ZB-1. The invention further relates to the use of these isolated and purified polynucleotides, polypeptides, and antibodies, as well as other legumain and ZB-1 agonists and antagonists, in modulating legumain and / or ZB-1 activity, expression, and / or secretion in a cell or cell population, e.g., monocytes, macrophages, foam cells, vascular endothelial cells, kidney proximal tubule cells, arterial endothelial cells, sites of inflammatory cell invasion into a vessel intima, and neointimal lesional areas of an artery. The invention also provides legumain and ZB-1 antagonists, e.g., antagonistic small molecules, antibodies and antibody fragments to legumain and ZB-1, legumain and ZB-1 inhibitory polypeptides, and legumain and ZB-1 inhibitory polynucleotides. The present invention is also directed to novel methods for diagnosing, prognosing, monitoring, treating, ameliorating and / or preventing vascular disorders / diseases and inflammatory disorders / diseases.

The present invention generally relates to modified substrates such as membranes for use in bioartificial organs, such as bioartificial kidneys, and other applications. Certain aspects are generally directed to a membrane or other substrate modified to facilitate the attachment of cells. In one set of embodiments, the substrate or membrane may be at least partially coated with an adhesive such as 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), poly(dopamine), or other adhesive comprising a molecule having a catechol moiety, for example on one side of the membrane or substrate. On at least a portion of the adhesive coated portion of the substrate, a protein may be coated, such as an extracellular matrix protein (for example, a collagen), to which cells such as primary human renal proximal tubule cells may be adhered. Surprisingly, such a dual coating may be used to promote the attachment of such cells to a membrane or other substrate that otherwise may not promote cell adhesion. In certain embodiments, the coating may also facilitate or promote not only cell adhesion, but also cell proliferation and / or differentiation. Such membranes or other substrates may be useful, for example, in bioartificial organs such as bioartificial kidneys, hemodialysis cartridges, bioimplants, biosensors, bioreactors, etc. In certain embodiments, cells may be attached to a membrane or other substrate on only one side, while the other side may be kept free of attached cells.

The present invention generally relates to delivery of BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist and methods of use thereof. In some embodiments, methods and devices are provided for delivery of BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist to a patient. In some cases, the BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist may be released in controlled fashion from a device in fluid communication with a patient. In some embodiments, the BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist may be expressed by cells within a device. In other embodiments, methods are provided for improving the function of devices containing renal proximal tubule cells. For example, in some embodiments, exposure of renal proximal tubule cells to BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist may be used to inhibit disruption of cell layers comprising renal proximal tubule cells. In another embodiment, exposure of renal proximal tubule cells to BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist may be used to inhibit trans- and de-differentiation of renal proximal tubule cells. In another embodiment, exposure of renal proximal tubule cells to BMP-7 or functional variants or functional fragments thereof and / or a BMP-7 agonist may be used to improve renal proximal tubule cell functions.

There is provided an in vitro assay for screening a test compound for toxicity in renal proximal tubular cells. The method comprises contacting a test compound with a test population of renal proximal tubular cells; and examining one or more cell morphology features, examining one or more cytoskeleton features, and / or determining cell numbers of the renal proximal tubular cells in the test population and comparing such cell morphology, arrangement of cytoskeletal components and / or cell count with the respective features of a control population. A change in one or more cell morphology features, a change in arrangement of one or more cytoskeleton features or a decrease in cell numbers of the test population relative to the control population is indicative that the test compound is toxic for renal proximal tubular cells.

A drug carrier nanoparticle has been synthesized that can specifically target the proximal tubules of the kidneys. The nanoparticles accumulate in the kidneys to a greater extent than other organs (e.g., up to 3 or more times greater in the kidney than any other organ). They can encapsulate many classes of drug molecules. The nanoparticles are biodegradable and release the drug as they degrade. The particles can sustainably release a drug within the kidneys for up to two months. The nanoparticles are useful for the treatment of diseases that affect the proximal tubules, such as heart failure, liver cirrhosis, hypertension, and renal failure; the study of relative blood flow to the renal cortex and medulla; and delivery of agents to treat gout.

The invention relates to the field of biology and medicine. In particular, the invention relates to the field of pharmaceutical research and drug development, and especially to means for physiological, pharmacological and toxicological research. More in particular, the invention provides renal cell lines with proximal tubular characteristics including multiple influx and efflux transporters. These cell lines are termed ciPTEC. Four representative examples have been deposited at the Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH (DSMZ or German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures) at Inhoffenstrasse 7 B, 38124 Braun-schweig, Germany under accession number DSM ACC3019, DSM AC-C3020, DSM ACC3021 and DSM ACC3022.

This application invention discloses bioartificial proximal tubule device, constructed by preparing a decellularized biological matrix, seeding the biological matrix with mammalian kidney-derived cells and optionally mammalian endothelial cells. The device may then be cultured statically or matured using bioreactor culture to allow differentiation of the kidney cells into functioning proximal tubule cells. The device is capable of carrying out proximal tubule functions. The application also describes various methods of making the proximal tubule devices. The application also further describes methods of use of bioartificial proximal tubule devices for e.g. in vitro studies of tubule cell transport, toxicity effects of various compounds or pharmaceutical compound screening.

The invention relates to a double antibody latex enhanced retinol binding protein detection kit. More specifically, the invention discloses a double antibody coating latex enhanced immunoturbidimetry kit for detecting retinol binding protein. The kit contains a reagent 1, a reagent 2 and a calibrator. Paring monoclonal antibody A and B are respectively coated on latex particles. Coated antibody is bonded with RBP to be detected, and a plurality of bonders are aggregated together to form detectable turbidity change. The detection kit provided by the invention has high sensitivity, can be used to detect urine samples and serum samples and can be used as nutritive index to detect RBP in serum. Simultaneously, through the detection of RBP in urine, the kit is sensitive to the damage degree of renal proximal tubule.