1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 negatively regulates the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which plays a critical role in the development of diabetic nephropathy. We tested if mice lacking the vitamin D receptor (VDR) are more susceptible to hyperglycemia-induced renal injury. Diabetic VDR knockout mice developed more severe albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis due to increased glomerular basement membrane thickening and podocyte effacement. More fibronectin (FN) and less nephrin were expressed in the VDR knockout mice compared to diabetic wild-type mice. In receptor knockout mice, increased renin, angiotensinogen, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and connective tissue growth factor accompanied the more severe renal injury. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitmain D3 inhibited high glucose (HG)-induced FN production in cultured mesangial cells and increased nephrin expression in cultured podocytes. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitmain D3 also suppressed HG-induced activation of the RAS and TGF-beta in mesangial and juxtaglomerular cells. Our study suggests that receptor-mediated vitamin D actions are renoprotective in diabetic nephropathy.

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The organ shortage is as serious in Korea as in other parts of the world. As about one-third of the potential living donors are ABO incompatible (ABOi), transplantation across the blood group barrier can help overcome this shortage. One hundred and twenty-five ABOi kidney transplantations (KTs) were performed between 2007 and 2010 in Korea. We collected the perioperative and follow-up data for 118 of these patients until September 2011. The preconditioning and immunosuppressive protocols were almost identical across the different transplant centers, with rituximab but no splenectomy; pre-transplant plasmapheresis (PP) with target anti-A/B titer 8 or 16 on transplant day, on-demand, rather than routine, post-transplant PP, and tacrolimus-based immunosuppressants. The number of patients and participating centers showed a rapid increase over time, and in 2010, ABOi KT (n = 79) comprised 10% of all the living donor KTs in Korea. The mean follow-up period was 21 months (range, 1-56 months). Sixteen (14%) patients developed acute rejection, and three of these had antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Two-yr patient and graft survival were 99.2% and 97.5%, respectively. No graft was lost due to AMR. ABOi KT is rapidly expanding in Korea with excellent medium-term outcome and will help mitigate the organ shortage.

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