Stem cells

Tissue-specific differentiation of stem cells can be promoted by seeding the cells onto decellularized tissue scaffolds, according to a new study. Edward Ross and colleagues found that murine embryonic stem cells seeded onto decellularized intact rat kidneys proliferated and differentiated in the absence of additional prodifferentiation factors.

Glomerular disease

Findings from a new study suggest that phosphoinositol 3 kinase-γ (PI3Kγ) has a role in the pathogenesis of necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis (NCGN) associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies. Transplantation of bone marrow from PI3Kγ knockout mice into a mouse model of NCGN provided protection against development of the disease. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of PI3Kγ protected mice against NCGN.

Diabetes

New-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) is associated with a polymorphism that is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes in the general population, according to recent findings. In their study, Lidia Ghisdal and colleagues genotyped 1,076 patients who did not have diabetes at transplantation. Of 11 polymorphisms studied, a polymorphism in TCF7L2 was found to be significantly associated with development of NODAT.

Chronic kidney disease

High serum alkaline phosphatase levels are an independent predictor of increased mortality in patients with stages 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease, say Srinivasan Beddhu and colleagues. The researchers identified the association by analyzing data from 1,094 African American individuals with stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease who participated in the AASK study. Beddhu et al. say that this association is independent of liver function and of serum calcium and phosphorus levels.