Pamidronate-induced nephrotoxic tubular necrosis--a case report

Few cases of pamidronate (bisphosphonate class of drugs) nephrotoxicity in humans have been previously reported in the literature. In 7 patients, the pamidronate-related nephrotoxicity was attributed to focal collapsing glomerulosclerosis [Markowitz et al. 2001], and in 1 patient was related to tubulo-interstitial inflammatory nephritis [Van Doom et al. 2001]. We report herein on a 65-year-old Caucasian female patient who presented with acute chronic renal failure due to pamidronate-induced toxic proximal tubular necrosis without immunologic or inflammatory tubulo-interstitial involvement. The acute pattern of renal failure resolved following cessation of pamidronate administration in this patient for osteoporosis; the patient also had a monoclonal gammopathy of unspecific origin (MGUS).

Periodic perturbations in Shaker K+ channel gating kinetics by deletions in the S3-S4 linker

Upon depolarization positive charges contained in the transmembrane segment S4 of voltage-dependent channels are displaced from the cytoplasmic to the external milieu. This charge movement leads to channel opening. In Shaker K+ channels four positively charged arginines in the S4 domain are transferred from the internal to the external side of the channel during activation. The distance traveled by the S4 segment during activation is unknown, but large movements should be constrained by the S3-S4 linker. Constructing deletion mutants, we show that the activation time constant and the midpoint of the voltage activation curve of the Shaker K+ channel macroscopic currents becomes a periodic function of the S3-S4 linker length for linkers shorter than 7 aa residues. The periodicity is that typical of alpha-helices. Moreover, a linker containing only 3 aa is enough to recover the wild-type phenotype. The deletion method revealed the importance of the S3-S4 linker in determining the channel gating kinetics and indicated that the alpha-helical nature of S4 extends toward its N terminus. These results support the notion that a small displacement of the S4 segment suffices to displace the four gating charges involved in channel opening.

Deletion of the S3-S4 linker in the Shaker potassium channel reveals two quenching groups near the outside of S4

When attached outside the voltage-sensing S4 segment of the Shaker potassium channel, the fluorescent probe tetramethylrhodamine (TMRM) undergoes voltage-dependent fluorescence changes (DeltaF) due to differential interaction with a pH-titratable external protein-lined vestibule (Cha, A., and F. Bezanilla. 1998. J. Gen. Physiol. 112:391-408.). We attached TMRM at the same sites [corresponding to M356C and A359C in the wild-type (wt) channel] in a deletion mutant of Shaker where all but the five amino acids closest to S4 had been removed from the S3-S4 linker. In the deletion mutant, the maximal DeltaF/F seen was diminished 10-fold, and the DeltaF at M356C became pH independent, suggesting that the protein-lined vestibule is made up in large part by the S3-S4 linker. The residual DeltaF showed that the probe still interacted with two putative quenching groups near the S4 segment. One group was detected by M356C-TMRM (located outside of S3 in the deletion mutant) and reported on deactivation gating charge movement when applying hyperpolarizing voltage steps from a holding potential of 0 mV. During activating voltage steps from a holding potential of -90 mV, the fluorescence lagged considerably behind the movement of gating charge over a range of potentials. Another putative quenching group was seen by probes attached closer to the S4 and caused a DeltaF at extreme hyperpolarizations (more negative than -90 mV) only. A signal from the interaction with this group in the wt S3-S4 linker channel (at L361C) correlated with gating charge moving in the hyperpolarized part of the Q-V curve. Probe attached at A359C in the deletion mutant and at L361C in wt channel showed a biphasic DeltaF as the probe oscillated between the two groups, revealing that there is a transient state of the voltage sensor in between, where the probe has maximal fluorescence. We conclude that the voltage sensor undergoes two distinct conformational changes as seen from probes attached outside the S4 segment.

Lysinuric protein intolerance with chronic interstitial lung disease and pulmonary cholesterol granulomas at onset

Hyperammonemia and encephalopathy developed in an 11-year-old girl with chronic interstitial lung disease and cholesterol casts in her lung biopsy specimen. She had decreased plasma levels of ornithine, lysine, and arginine and excessive urinary excretion of lysine and arginine, consistent with the diagnosis of lysinuric protein intolerance. Analysis of plasma and urinary amino acids should be considered in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with interstitial lung disease of uncertain origin.

HLA-B51 may serve as an immunogenetic marker for a subgroup of patients with Behçet's syndrome

Epidemiologic data, family history, clinical data, HLA typing, neutrophilic chemotaxis, and immunofluorescence of clinically normal non-sun-exposed skin were studied in 46 Israeli non-Ashkenazi Jewish and Arab patients with Behçet's syndrome. HLA-B51 was present in 71 percent of the patient group as compared with 13 percent of the control group (relative risk = 17.1). In four of 30 families in the B51-positive group, there was a close relative of the proband with Behçet's syndrome who was carrying the HLA-B51 antigen. Neutrophilic chemotaxis in this group was enhanced in 80 percent of the patients, and in most patients no deposition of immunoglobulin in the dermo-epidermal junction was observed, whereas C3 was present in papillary vessels. In the B51-negative group, the family history was negative for Behçet's syndrome, neutrophilic chemotaxis was enhanced in only two of eight patients, and in four of six patients, IgM deposition was detected in the dermo-epidermal junction. It is concluded that in Israeli non-Ashkenazi Jews and Arabs, there is a significant association between HLA-B51 and the risk of developing Behçet's syndrome. The B51-positive patient group has a family history of the disease, enhanced neutrophilic chemotaxis, and a lack of immunoglobulin deposition in the dermo-epidermal junction.

Sarcoid nephrocalcinotic renal failure reversed by sodium cellulose phosphate

A case of renal failure due to sarcoidosis with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis is described. Prolonged treatment with inorganic absorbable phosphate significantly deteriorated the patient's renal function. After a sodium cellulose phosphate treatment, renal failure was completely reversed. We suggest that sodium cellulose phosphate is the treatment of choice in sarcoidotic renal failure induced by nephrocalcinosis.

Beneficial effects of propylene and polyethylene glycol and saline in the treatment of perennial rhinitis

Although propylene-and-polyethylene-glycol and saline have been used in clinical studies as placebos, their possible therapeutic role as wetting agents in the treatment of perennial rhinitis was investigated. Clinical and laboratory response to these agents was measured in eighteen patients during a 2-week baseline period and with 4 weeks of active treatment in a double blind randomized study. After 2 and 4 weeks there was a significant improvement compared to baseline in nasal function (P less than 0.05) and blockage index (P less than 0.01) combining both groups, with no difference between treatments. Patients had less sneezing at 2 and 4 weeks (P less than 0.01), and less stuffiness at 4 weeks (P less than 0.01). There was a significant correlation between improvement in blockage index and nasal biopsies when both were judged independently of the other. This study has demonstrated that wetting agents offer both subjective and objective improvement in the treatment of perennial rhinitis and merit consideration prior to (or along with) other agents with known systemic side effects.

Diabetes induced by a high fructose diet

Long-term fructose feeding to the genetically selected albino rat resulted in the development of diabetes mellitus and diffuse glomerulosclerosis. Siblings of these animals that were starch fed did not develop the metabolic impairments nor did they develop diabetic microangiopathy. These results are similar to those observed following sucrose feeding to these genetically selected animals. Hence, fructose feeding is not different than that of sucrose in producing diabetes and diabetic angiopathy.