Hydrochloride pioglitazone protects diabetic rats against podocyte injury through preserving glomerular podocalyxin expression.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to test the effect of different dosages of pioglitazone (PIO) on the glomerular expression of podocalyxin and urinary sediment podocalyxin excretion and to explore the potential renoprotective mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Type 1 diabetes induced with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) in 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to be treated with vehicle or 10, 20, 30 mg/kg/d PIO respectively for 8 weeks. Eight rats were enrolled in the normal control group. RESULTS: At 8th week, rats were sacrificed for the observation of kidney injury through electron microscope. Glomerular podocalyxin production including mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively. Levels of urinary albumin excretion and urinary sediment podocalyxin, kidney injury index were all significantly increased, whereas expression of glomerular podocalyxin protein and mRNA were decreased significantly in diabetic rats compared to normal control. Dosages-dependent analysis revealed that protective effect of PIO ameliorated the physiopathological changes and reached a peak at dosage of 20 mg/kg/d. CONCLUSION: PIO could alleviate diabetic kidney injury in a dose-dependent pattern and the role may be associated with restraining urinary sediment podocalyxin excretion and preserving the glomerular podocalyxin expression.

Hydrochloride pioglitazone protects diabetic rats against podocyte injury through preserving glomerular podocalyxin expression / O cloridrato de pioglitazona protege ratos diabéticos contra a injúria aos podócitos por meio da preservação da expressão de podocalixina glomerular

Objective: We sought to test the effect of different dosages of pioglitazone (PIO) on the glomerular expression of podocalyxin and urinary sediment podocalyxin excretion and to explore the potential renoprotective mechanism. Materials and methods: Type 1 diabetes induced with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) in 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to be treated with vehicle or 10, 20, 30 mg/kg/d PIO respectively for 8 weeks. Eight rats were enrolled in the normal control group. Results: At 8th week, rats were sacrificed for the observation of kidney injury through electron microscope. Glomerular podocalyxin production including mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively. Levels of urinary albumin excretion and urinary sediment podocalyxin, kidney injury index were all significantly increased, whereas expression of glomerular podocalyxin protein and mRNA were decreased significantly in diabetic rats compared to normal control. Dosages-dependent analysis revealed that protective effect of PIO ameliorated the physiopathological changes and reached a peak at dosage of 20 mg/kg/d. Conclusion: PIO could alleviate diabetic kidney injury in a dose-dependent pattern and the role may be associated with restraining urinary sediment podocalyxin excretion and preserving the glomerular podocalyxin expression. .

Objetivo: Buscamos testar os efeitos de diferentes doses de pioglitazona (PIO) sobre a expressão glomerular de podocalixina e sobre a excreção de podocalixina em células do sedimento urinário, além de explorar o potencial mecanismo de proteção renal. Materiais e métodos: O diabetes tipo 1 foi induzido em 36 ratos Sprague-Dawley machos com estreptozotocina (65 mg/kg). Os animais foram tratados apenas com o veículo, ou com 10, 20, 30 mg/kg/d de PIO por 8 semanas. Oito ratos foram colocados no grupo controle. Resultados: Na oitava semana, os ratos foram sacrificados para se observar a lesão renal em microscopia eletrônica. A produção de podocalixina glomerular, incluindo mRNA e proteína, foi determinada por RT-PCR e imuno-histoquímica, respectivamente. Os níveis urinários de albumina e podocalixina nas células do sedimento urinário e o índice de lesão renal estavam todos significativamente aumentados, enquanto a expressão glomerular da proteína podocalixina e do mRNA estava significativamente diminuída em ratos diabéticos comparados com o controle normal. A análise dos efeitos dose-dependentes revelou que o efeito protetor da PIO melhorou as mudanças fisiopatológicas e atingiu um pico na dose de 20 mg/kg/dia. Conclusão: A PIO pode melhorar a injúria renal de forma dose-dependente e este papel pode estar associado com a prevenção da excreção de podocalixina nas células do sedimento urinário e com a preservação da expressão glomerular de podocalixina. .