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A Novel Clinical Grade Isolation Method for Human Kidney Perivascular Stromal Cells
Published on: August 7, 2017
Somatostatin expression in human renal cortex and mesangial cells
M A Turman1, M S O'Dorisio, T M O'Dorisio
1Department of Pediatrics, Ohio State University, Wexner Institute for Pediatric Research, Children's Hospital, Columbus 43205, USA.
Regulatory Peptides
|January 15, 1997
Summary
Kidney cells produce somatostatin, a hormone that regulates kidney function. This local production suggests a new way to potentially treat kidney diseases like diabetic nephropathy.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Somatostatin influences key kidney functions, including mesangial cell contraction and ion/water excretion.
- In diabetic nephropathy, somatostatin has shown potential to inhibit renal hypertrophy.
- High-affinity somatostatin receptors are present in the kidney, but circulating levels are typically low.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that somatostatin is produced locally within the kidney.
- To determine if renal cells release somatostatin for autocrine/paracrine signaling.
- To explore potential therapeutic targets for diabetic nephropathy and other renal diseases.
Main Methods:
- Reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect somatostatin mRNA in human renal cortex and mesangial cells.
- Restriction enzyme and Southern blot analysis to confirm cDNA product authenticity.
- Radioimmunoassay (RIA) to quantify somatostatin peptide levels in mesangial cell culture supernatants.
Main Results:
- Somatostatin mRNA was detected in fresh human renal cortex and cultured human mesangial cells.
- Immunoreactive somatostatin peptide was quantified in mesangial cell culture supernatants.
- Renal cells did not produce detectable levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) or neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA or peptide.
Conclusions:
- Human renal cells, including mesangial cells, synthesize somatostatin.
- Kidney-derived somatostatin likely acts locally via autocrine/paracrine mechanisms to regulate renal function.
- This intrarenal somatostatin pathway represents a potential novel therapeutic target for managing diabetic nephropathy and other kidney diseases.

