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Life
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The Interplay between Immune System and the Kidneys: Games without...
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The Interplay between Immune System and the Kidneys: Games without Frontiers?

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (12 November 2022) | Viewed by 10545

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria J. Stangou

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Guest Editor
Department of Nephrology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: glomerulonephritis; IgA nephropathy; vasculitis; systemic lupus erythematosus; chronic kidney disease; immune dysfunction
Dr. Maria Daoudaki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Chemistry, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: immunochemistry; transplantation
Dr. Asimina Fylaktou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Peripheral Histocompatibility Center, Immunology Department, Hippokration General Hospital, 541 24 Thessaloniki , Greece
Interests: immunology in transplantation; autoimmunity; immunoregulation; machine learning; stem cell transplantation
Dr. Georgios Tsoulfas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Transplantation Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: transplantation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. George Lioulios

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nephrology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: glomerulonephritis; IgA nephropathy; vasculitis; systemic lupus erythematosus; chronic kidney disease; immune dysfunction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Immune System (IS) and Kidney function are closely and interactively connected. IS dysfunction occurring in autoimmune diseases, infections, malignancies, etc., is implicated in the pathogenesis of kidney involvement, leading to a great spectrum of glomerular and interstitial injury. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Vasculitis, hepatitis B and C, solid organ malignancies, and hematological diseases are only a small example of the primary causes affecting kidneys through several immunological pathways, such as immune complex deposition, the activation of complement and signaling pathways, etc.

On the other hand, complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD), including the accumulation of uremic toxins, O2 free radicals, advanced glycation end products, increased expression of Toll-Like Receptors on monocytes, and cytokine overproduction are evident even at CKD pre-dialysis stages, accompanied by the biocompatibility reactions post-dialysis. Such complications result in a situation characterized by chronic inflammation combined with premature ageing, usually designated as “inflamm-aging”, followed by detrimental clinical consequences in CKD patients, such as increased cardiovascular risk and susceptibility to infections and malignancies.

The most important issue, however, is the behavior of the IS following renal transplantation. Kidney transplant can potentially restore the immune profile of patients, albeit immunosuppression treatment may be followed by further complications. The presence of certain T cell subsets at the time of renal transplantation may affect the response to immunosuppression and acute or chronic rejection, suggesting that patients’ immune profile at the time of transplantation may have substantial impact in short- and long-term graft function.

This Special Issue of Life aims to elucidate the interaction between the IS and kidney disease in terms of the involvement of the IS in the pathogenesis and progress of glomerular diseases, and vice versa, the effect of CKD on IS dysfunction. 

We invite researchers to submit their experience on the following subjects:

  1. Immune Mechanisms involved in systemic diseases, infections, and malignancies affecting the kidneys;
  2. Pathogenesis and Histology in primary and secondary glomerular and interstitial diseases;
  3. Complications of the innate and adaptive immunity in CKD and clinical complications, including cardiovascular disease, infections, and malignancies;
  4. The impact of renal transplantation in patients’ immunological profile and outcome of graft function.

Prof. Dr. Maria J. Stangou
Prof. Dr. Maria Daoudaki
Dr. Asimina Fylaktou
Prof. Dr. Georgios Tsoulfas
Dr. George Lioulios
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adaptive immunity
  • autoimmune diseases
  • chronic kidney disease 
  • glomerulonephritis
  • systemic diseases and the kidney
  • vasculitis
  • immunosuppression
  • renal transplantation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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15 pages, 1012 KiB  
Article
Serum OPG and RANKL Levels as Risk Factors for the Development of Cardiovascular Calcifications in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients in Hemodialysis
by Michalis Spartalis, Efstratios Kasimatis, Eleni Liakou, Erasmia Sampani, Georgios Lioulios, Michalis Christodoulou, Stamatia Stai, Eleni Moysidou, George Efstratiadis and Aikaterini Papagianni
Life 2023, 13(2), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13020454 - 6 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1758
Abstract
Cardiovascular calcifications (CVC) are frequently observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and contribute to their cardiovascular mortality. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of osteoprotegerin (OPG)/Receptor Activator of NF-κΒ (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL) pathway in the development and [...] Read more.
Cardiovascular calcifications (CVC) are frequently observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and contribute to their cardiovascular mortality. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of osteoprotegerin (OPG)/Receptor Activator of NF-κΒ (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL) pathway in the development and evolution of CVCs in hemodialysis patients. In total, 80 hemodialysis patients were assessed for the presence of vascular (abdominal aorta and muscular arteries) calcifications and results were correlated to serum OPG and RANKL levels and the OPG/RANKL ratio. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors and mineral bone disease parameters were also estimated. The presence of VCs was also evaluated 5 years after the initiation of the study, and results were correlated to the initial serum OPG levels. Age, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease and OPG levels (p < 0.001) were associated with VCs, whereas RANKL levels were not. Multivariate analysis though revealed that only OPG levels were significantly associated with abdominal aorta calcifications (p = 0.026), but they were not correlated with the progression of VCs. Serum OPG levels are positively and independently associated with VCs in HD patients, but not with their progression. RANKL levels did not show any associations, whereas further studies are needed to establish the significance of OPG/RANKL ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Immune System and the Kidneys: Games without Frontiers?)
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15 pages, 2725 KiB  
Article
Differential Expression of Anti-Inflammatory RNA Binding Proteins in Lupus Nephritis
by Raouia Fakhfakh, Emna Bouallegui, Hana Houssaini, Nesrine Elloumi, Fatma Dhafouli, Olfa Abida, Hend Hachicha, Sameh Marzouk, Zouhir Bahloul, Khawla Kammoun, Tahia Boudawara and Hatem Masmoudi
Life 2022, 12(10), 1474; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12101474 - 23 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2409
Abstract
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a type of immunological complex glomerulonephritis characterized by chronic renal inflammation which is exacerbated by infiltrating leukocytes and fueled by a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. A profound understanding of the pathogenesis of LN is necessary to identify the optimal [...] Read more.
Lupus nephritis (LN) is a type of immunological complex glomerulonephritis characterized by chronic renal inflammation which is exacerbated by infiltrating leukocytes and fueled by a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. A profound understanding of the pathogenesis of LN is necessary to identify the optimal molecular targets. The role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in post-transcriptional gene regulation in the immune system is being explored in greater depth to better understand how this regulation is implicated in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Tristetraprolin (TTP), Roquin-1/2, and Regnase-1 are 3 RBPs that play a critical role in the regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators by gating the degradation and/or translational silencing of target mRNAs. In this study, we proposed to focus on the differential expression of these RBPs in immune cells and renal biopsies from LN patients, as well as their regulatory impact on a specific target. Herein, we highlight a novel target of anti-inflammatory treatment by revealing the mechanisms underlying RBP expression and the interaction between RBPs and their target RNAs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Immune System and the Kidneys: Games without Frontiers?)
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Other

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13 pages, 687 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Role of Vitamin D in Kidney Transplantation Outcomes: A Systematic Review
by Georgios Koimtzis, Leandros Stefanopoulos, Verity Brooker, Georgios Geropoulos, Christopher G. Chalklin, Sapna Gupta, Eliot Carrington-Windo, Maria Papaioannou and Theodosios S. Papavramidis
Life 2022, 12(10), 1664; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12101664 - 20 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1783
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review is to assess the impact of vitamin D on the outcomes of kidney transplantation and investigate whether its deficiency is associated with a negative impact. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane [...] Read more.
The aim of this systematic review is to assess the impact of vitamin D on the outcomes of kidney transplantation and investigate whether its deficiency is associated with a negative impact. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane databases, as well as gray literature. Ultimately, 16 articles with an average of 255.75 patients were included in this review. These articles compared the long-term outcomes of vitamin D deficiency and/or vitamin D supplementation therapy on kidney transplant recipients by assessing various parameters. Results: Most of the included studies showed a negative effect of vitamin D deficiency on kidney transplantation by being associated with a worse graft function, higher incidence of acute rejection episodes, higher incidence of proteinuria and lower overall graft and patient survival rate. Conclusions: We suggest that patients awaiting kidney transplantation have a careful evaluation in order to assess their vitamin D status and the optimal supplementation therapy. Regular follow-up of vitamin D levels post-transplant is also suggested. Prospective studies will be needed to establish the positive effects of vitamin D supplementation therapy on kidney transplant outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Immune System and the Kidneys: Games without Frontiers?)
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7 pages, 606 KiB  
Case Report
ANCA-Associated Vasculitis May Result as a Complication to Both SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccination
by Michalis Christodoulou, Fotini Iatridi, George Chalkidis, Georgios Lioulios, Christina Nikolaidou, Kostas Badis, Asimina Fylaktou, Aikaterini Papagianni and Maria Stangou
Life 2022, 12(7), 1072; https://doi.org/10.3390/life12071072 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2148
Abstract
In the last two years, our world experienced one of the most devastating and fast-exploding pandemic, due to the wide spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The scientific community managed to develop effective vaccines, the main weapons to shield the [...] Read more.
In the last two years, our world experienced one of the most devastating and fast-exploding pandemic, due to the wide spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The scientific community managed to develop effective vaccines, the main weapons to shield the immune system and protect people. Nevertheless, both SARS-CoV-2 infection and the vaccination against it have been associated with the stimulation of inflammatory cells such as T and B lymphocytes that results in a cytokine storm, endothelial inflammation and vascular injury, which can lead to different types of vasculitis. We present the first case of de novo MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis, which developed shortly after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, adequately responded to treatment, and subsequently relapsed after COVID-19 infection. With this case, we indicate an etiological connection between viral infection and disease development, as well as the possibility of a common immune mechanism between SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, that can stimulate vascular events and lead to vasculitis. There have been several case reports of de novo vasculitis, affecting large, medium, or small vessels, following either infection or vaccination against COVID-19, during the pandemic outbreak. We summarize previous reports and also analyze proposed pathogenic mechanisms between SARS-CoV-2 and vasculitis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay between Immune System and the Kidneys: Games without Frontiers?)
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