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In this preliminary report, the higher expressions of ET-1 and ET-RA found in both DN and IgA nephropathy suggest a potential role for the endothelin system in DN as well as in other nondiabetic glomerular diseases.

Introduction:Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to suspected or confirmed infection. Clinical evaluations are essential for its early detection and treatment. Blood cultures may take as long as 2 days to yield a result and are not always reliable. However, recent studies have suggested that neutrophil CD64 expression may be a sensitive and specific alternative for the diagnosis of systemic infection.Objective:The objective of the study was to analyze the difference in CD64 values between subjects with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), suspected or confirmed sepsis, who meet diagnostic criteria for SIRS upon arriving at an emergency department.Materials and Methods:This was a prospective observational cohort study, an accuracy study of CD64 prospectively evaluated. The sample consisted of 109 patients aged 18 years with criteria for SIRS on arrival to emergency department. CD64 expression was measured within 6 h of hospital admission and once again after 48 h.Results:ROC curve analysis suggested that a cutoff of 1.45 for CD64 expression could diagnose sepsis with a sensitivity of 0.85, a specificity of 0.75, an accuracy of 82.08%, a positive predictive value of 0.96, a negative predictive value of 0.38 and a positive likelihood ratio of 3.33. The area under the curve was 0.83.Conclusion:CD64 seems to be a useful, sensitive, and specific biomarker in discriminating between SIRS and sepsis.

Background: The transcription factor FOXP3 is increased in acute renal rejection, but its influence on graft outcomes is unclear. This study correlated FOXP3 with dendritic cells and graft outcomes. Methods: We assessed 96 kidney transplants undergoing allograft biopsy for cause. FOXP3 mRNA was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and FOXP3 protein and DCsCD83 þ by immunohistochemistry. Graft function and survival were assessed at 5 years post-transplantation, as well as by independent predictors of graft loss. Results: Intragraft FOXP3 gene and protein expression were significantly correlated (r ¼ 0.541, p < 0.001). Both FOXP3 mRNA and protein were increased in patients with acute rejection (AR). High expression of FOXP3 mRNA or protein in biopsies did not correlate with clinical variables, but there was a trend to higher positive variation in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from biopsy to last follow-up. Patients with FOXP3-mRNA high had more DCsCD83 þ in biopsy, but these cells did not associate with AR. Five-year graft survival was not influenced by either FOXP3 mRNA or protein expressions. Conclusions: FOXP3 mRNA and protein had a good correlation in archival renal graft tissue. Increased FOXP3 expression was found in AR and FOXP3 associated with high numbers of DCs. However, both FOXP3 mRNA and protein was not associated with better allograft outcomes.

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