Anti-B2M (full length) polyclonal antibody

Background: Using change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on creatinine concentration as a surrogate outcome in clinical trials of chronic kidney disease has been proposed. Risk for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and all-cause mortality associated with change in concentrations of other filtration markers has not been studied in chronic kidney disease populations. Study Design: Observational analysis of 2 clinical trials. Setting & Participants: Participants in the MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease; n = 317) Study and AASK (African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension; n = 373). Predictors: Creatinine, cystatin C, beta-trace protein (BTP), and beta(2)-microglobulin (B2M) were measured in serum samples collected at the 12- and 24-month follow-up visits, along with measured GFR (mGFR) at these time points. Outcomes: ESRD and all-cause mortality. Measurements: Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios and 95% CIs for ESRD and all-cause mortality during long-term follow-up (10-16 years) per 30% decline in mGFR or eGFR for each filtration marker and the average of all 4 markers. Results: 1-year decline in mGFR, eGFR(cr), eGFR(BTP), and the average of the 4 filtration markers was significantly associated with increased risk for incident ESRD in both studies (all P <= 0.02). Compared to mGFR, only decline in eGFR(BTP) was statistically significantly more strongly associated with ESRD risk in both studies (both P <= 0.03). Decline in eGFR(cr), but not mGFR or the other filtration markers, was significantly associated with risk for all-cause mortality in AASK only (incidence rate ratio per 30% decline, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.78-9.74; P < 0.001), but this association was not significantly different from decline in mGFR (P = 0.2). Limitations: Small sample size. Conclusions: Declines in mGFR, eGFR(cr), eGFR(BTP), and the average of 4 filtration markers (creatinine, cystatin C, BTP, and B2M) were consistently associated with progression to ESRD. (C) 2017 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR) is usually employed in gene expression studies in veterinary research, including in studies on canine pyometra. Canine pyometra is a common clinical disease in bitches. When using RT-qPCR, internal standards, such as reference genes, are necessary to investigate relative gene expression by quantitative measurements of mRNA levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of reference genes and select reference genes suitable for canine pyometra studies. We collected 24 bitch uterine tissue samples, including five healthy and 19 pyometra infected samples. These were used to screen the best reference genes of seven candidate genes (18SrRNA, ACTB, B2M, GAPDH, HPRT, RPL13A, and YWHAZ). The method of KH Sadek and the GeNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder software were used to evaluate the stability of gene expression in both pyometra and healthy uterine samples. The results showed that the expression stability of the candidate gene in pyometra and healthy tissues differed. We showed that YWHAZ was the best reference gene, which could be used as an accurate internal control gene in canine pyometra studies. To further validate this recommendation, the expression profile of a target gene insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor gene (IGF1R) was investigated. We found that the expression of IGF1R was significantly altered when different reference genes were used. All reference genes identified in the present study will enable more accurate normalization of gene expression data in both pyometra infected and healthy uterine tissues.