KD025 Is a Casein Kinase 2 Inhibitor That Protects Against Glucolipotoxicity in β-Cells

Glucolipotoxicity (GLT), in which elevated levels of glucose and fatty acids have deleterious effects on β-cell biology, is thought to be one of the major contributors in progression of type 2 diabetes. In search of novel small molecules that protect β-cells against GLT, we previously discovered KD025, an inhibitor of Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing kinase isoform 2 (ROCK2), as a GLT-protective compound in INS-1E cells and dissociated human islets. To further understand the mechanism of action of KD025, we found that pharmacological and genetic inhibition of ROCK2 was not responsible for the protective effects of KD025 against GLT. Instead, kinase profiling revealed that KD025 potently inhibits catalytic subunits of casein kinase 2 (CK2), a constitutively active serine/threonine kinase. We experimentally verified that the inhibition of one of the catalytic subunits of casein kinase 2, CK2A1, but not CK2A2, improved cell viability when challenged with GLT. We conclude that KD025 inhibits CK2 to protect β-cells from GLT.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Anatomic and metabolic risk factors for nephrolithiasis in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

The prevalence of nephrolithiasis is considerably greater in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) than in the general population. We evaluated anatomic and metabolic factors that may be associated with an increased prevalence of nephrolithiasis in patients with ADPKD. We compared anatomic parameters among ADPKD patients with or without nephrolithiasis as diagnosed by ultrasonography, whereas metabolic factors were determined by 24-hour urinary chemical analysis. Patients with ADPKD and nephrolithiasis had more renal cysts (P < 0.05) and a larger predominant renal cyst size (P < 0.005) than patients without nephrolithiasis. Concurrently, individual stone-forming kidneys had a greater cyst number (P < 0.05) and a significantly larger predominant cyst size (P < 0.01) compared with kidneys without stones. Patients with ADPKD and nephrolithiasis had a significantly lower creatinine clearance than those without nephrolithiasis (68.7 +/- 8.6 versus 94.8 +/- 5.4 mL/min, respectively; P < 0.05). Twenty-four-hour urinary analysis showed that patients with ADPKD and nephrolithiasis had significantly lower urinary volumes (P < 0. 05), and levels of urinary phosphate (P < 0.05), magnesium (P < 0. 005), and potassium (P < 0.05). Although not statistically significant, patients with ADPKD with stones tended to have lower levels of urinary citrate, and both groups showed a high percentage (range, 49% to 60%) of patients with hypocitraturia. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that patients with ADPKD who develop nephrolithiasis do so because of increased intrarenal anatomic obstruction, as well as lower levels of such urinary inhibitors of stones as magnesium and citrate.

Effect of castration and finasteride on urinary oxalate excretion in male rats

We investigated the effects of castration and finasteride administration on urinary oxalate (Ox) excretion in a rat ethylene glycol (EG) model of urolithiasis. Male adult SD rats were divided into six groups. Group 1 were normal, untreated rats. The other five groups, all treated with 0.75% EG for 4 weeks; were as follows: group 2, non-castrated (intact) rats; group 3, castrated rats; group 4, castrated rats with a 4-cm testosterone implant; group 5, intact rats treated with high-dose finasteride (7.5 mg%); and group 6, intact rats treated with low-dose finasteride (0.75 mg%). Urinary Ox excretion increased 12.8-fold after 4 weeks of EG treatment (group 2 vs group 1). Both castration (group 3) and finasteride administration (groups 5 and 6) significantly decreased urinary Ox excretion compared with intact rats (group 2). We conclude that dihydrotestosterone is partially responsible for the exaggerated hyperoxaluria observed in the rat EG model of urolithiasis.

Typical and Atypical Presentations of Testicular Carcinoma

Testicular carcinoma most commonly presents as a testicular mass. Approxiately 10-15% of patients, however, present with manifestations of metastatic disease. The reported clinical presentations of metastatic testicular carcinoma are varied and include abdominal mass, hemoptysis, adenopathy, respiratory difficulty, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, lumbar back pain, and lower extremity swelling. A comprehensive review of the literature indicated that testicular carcinoma presents as a testicular abnormality 90% of the time. In 10% of cases, however, the patients will present with nontesticular manifestations of metastatic disease. The authors provide a summary of reported nontesticular presentations of testis cancer and describe a unique case wherein the clinical presentation was spontaneous ejaculatory failure.