The potential role of complement alternative pathway activation in hypertensive renal damage

Complement-activated fragment Ba functions as an antibacterial protein and mediates immune responses in lower vertebrates

The complement system plays an important role in antibacterial infection and immune regulation. Ba, an important complement component, is produced and released by the cleavage of complement factor B during complement activation. However, the immune functions of Ba are unclear. In this study, we reported that recombinant Ba exerted direct bactericidal and immune regulatory effects. Recombinant Paralichthys olivaceus Ba (rPoBa) bound bacteria via interaction with the bacterial wall component lipopolysaccharide, resulting in bacterial membrane permeabilization and bacterial death. Furthermore, rPoBa exhibited bactericidal activity against Gram-negative bacteria in a manner that depended on concentration, time, temperature, pH, and metal ions. Structure prediction analysis showed that PoBa contained three distinct complement control protein (CCP) domains. CCP1 was mainly responsible for binding to lipopolysaccharide, and both CCP1 and CCP3 might be required for bacterial membranous permeabilization. The bactericidal effects of Ba were observed only in lower vertebrates, with no such effects observed in mammals. In addition, rPoBa could protect P. olivaceus against Vibrio harveyi infection both in vitro and in vivo by significantly improving the immune activity of peripheral blood leukocytes and reducing tissue bacterial loads. Consistently, when PoCFB expression in P. olivaceus was knocked down, the PoBa production and complement activity were decreased, and bacterial replication was significantly enhanced. In conclusion, this study revealed that the complement-activated recombinant Ba fragment improved the immune defense against bacterial infection and provided a potential strategy to control disease in lower vertebrates.

Current perspectives and trends of the research on hypertensive nephropathy: a bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2023

Hypertensive nephropathy continues to be a major cause of end-stage renal disease and poses a significant global health burden. Despite the staggering development of research in hypertensive nephropathy, scientists and clinicians can only seek out useful information through articles and reviews, it remains a hurdle for them to quickly track the trend in this field. This study uses the bibliometric method to identify the evolutionary development and recent hotspots of hypertensive nephropathy. The Web of Science Core Collection database was used to extract publications on hypertensive nephropathy from January 2000 to November 2023. CiteSpace was used to capture the patterns and trends from multi-perspectives, including countries/regions, institutions, keywords, and references. In total, 557 publications on hypertensive nephropathy were eligible for inclusion. China (n = 208, 37.34%) was the most influential contributor among all the countries. Veterans Health Administration (n = 19, 3.41%) was found to be the most productive institution. Keyword bursting till now are renal fibrosis, outcomes, and mechanisms which are predicted to be the potential frontiers and hotspots in the future. The top seven references were listed, and their burst strength was shown. A comprehensive overview of the current status and research frontiers of hypertensive nephropathy has been provided through the bibliometric perspective. Recent advancements and challenges in hypertensive nephropathy have been discussed. These findings can offer informative instructions for researchers and scholars.