Metallothionein deficiency exacerbates diabetic nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Oxidative stress and inflammation play important roles in diabetic complications, including diabetic nephropathy. Metallothionein (MT) is induced in proximal tubular epithelial cells as an antioxidant in the diabetic kidney; however, the role of MT in renal function remains unclear. We therefore investigated whether MT deficiency accelerates diabetic nephropathy through oxidative stress and inflammation. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection in MT-deficient (MT(-/-)) and MT(+/+) mice. Urinary albumin excretion, histological changes, markers for reactive oxygen species (ROS), and kidney inflammation were measured. Murine proximal tubular epithelial (mProx24) cells were used to further elucidate the role of MT under high-glucose conditions. Parameters of diabetic nephropathy and markers of ROS and inflammation were accelerated in diabetic MT(-/-) mice compared with diabetic MT(+/+) mice, despite equivalent levels of hyperglycemia. MT deficiency accelerated interstitial fibrosis and macrophage infiltration into the interstitium in the diabetic kidney. Electron microscopy revealed abnormal mitochondrial morphology in proximal tubular epithelial cells in diabetic MT(-/-) mice. In vitro studies demonstrated that knockdown of MT by small interfering RNA enhanced mitochondrial ROS generation and inflammation-related gene expression in mProx24 cells cultured under high-glucose conditions. The results of this study suggest that MT may play a key role in protecting the kidney against high glucose-induced ROS and subsequent inflammation in diabetic nephropathy.

Nuclear hormone receptor expression in mouse kidney and renal cell lines.

Nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) are transcription factors that regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, immune responses, and inflammation. Although several NHRs, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and PPARα, demonstrate a renoprotective effect in the context of diabetic nephropathy (DN), the expression and role of other NHRs in the kidney are still unrecognized. To investigate potential roles of NHRs in the biology of the kidney, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to profile the expression of all 49 members of the mouse NHR superfamily in mouse kidney tissue (C57BL/6 and db/m), and cell lines of mesangial (MES13), podocyte (MPC), proximal tubular epithelial (mProx24) and collecting duct (mIMCD3) origins in both normal and high-glucose conditions. In C57BL/6 mouse kidney cells, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α, chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II (COUP-TFII) and COUP-TFIII were highly expressed. During hyperglycemia, the expression of the NHR 4A subgroup including neuron-derived clone 77 (Nur77), nuclear receptor-related factor 1, and neuron-derived orphan receptor 1 significantly increased in diabetic C57BL/6 and db/db mice. In renal cell lines, PPARδ was highly expressed in mesangial and proximal tubular epithelial cells, while COUP-TFs were highly expressed in podocytes, proximal tubular epithelial cells, and collecting duct cells. High-glucose conditions increased the expression of Nur77 in mesangial and collecting duct cells, and liver x receptor α in podocytes. These data demonstrate NHR expression in mouse kidney cells and cultured renal cell lines and suggest potential therapeutic targets in the kidney for the treatment of DN.

Long-term treatment with the sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, dapagliflozin, ameliorates glucose homeostasis and diabetic nephropathy in db/db mice.

Inhibition of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) has been reported as a new therapeutic strategy for treating diabetes. However, the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on the kidney is unknown. In addition, whether SGLT2 inhibitors have an anti-inflammatory or antioxidative stress effect is still unclear. In this study, to resolve these issues, we evaluated the effects of the SGLT2 inhibitor, dapagliflozin, using a mouse model of type 2 diabetes and cultured proximal tubular epithelial (mProx24) cells. Male db/db mice were administered 0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg of dapagliflozin for 12 weeks. Body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, albuminuria and creatinine clearance were measured. Mesangial matrix accumulation and interstitial fibrosis in the kidney and pancreatic ß-cell mass were evaluated by histological analysis. Furthermore, gene expression of inflammatory mediators, such as osteopontin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and transforming growth factor-ß, was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR. In addition, oxidative stress was evaluated by dihydroethidium and NADPH oxidase 4 staining. Administration of 0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg of dapagliflozin ameliorated hyperglycemia, ß-cell damage and albuminuria in db/db mice. Serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and blood pressure were not affected by administration of dapagliflozin, but glomerular mesangial expansion and interstitial fibrosis were suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. Dapagliflozin treatment markedly decreased macrophage infiltration and the gene expression of inflammation and oxidative stress in the kidney of db/db mice. Moreover, dapagliflozin suppressed the high-glucose-induced gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in cultured mProx24 cells. These data suggest that dapagliflozin ameliorates diabetic nephropathy by improving hyperglycemia along with inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.

The effects of telmisartan treatment on the abdominal fat depot in patients with metabolic syndrome and essential hypertension: Abdominal fat Depot Intervention Program of Okayama (ADIPO).

Telmisartan partially activates the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), which may ameliorate the accumulation of visceral adipose tissues and sensitise insulin action. Nineteen patients with essential hypertension and metabolic syndrome were randomly assigned to receive 40 mg of telmisartan (TELMI group) once daily or 80 mg of valsartan (VAL group) once daily for 24 weeks. The visceral fat area (VFA) measured by computed tomography (CT) was significantly reduced from 150.4±15.5 to 127.7±16.7 cm(2) in the TELMI group (p=0.049). Although VFA was also reduced in the VAL group from 169.8±14.8 to 155.3±14.8 cm(2), the change was not significant (p=0.173). There were no significant changes in body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, subdermal fat area (SFA), fasting plasma glucose, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in comparison to the baseline and follow-up data in both groups. In conclusion, telmisartan may have a benefit in the reduction of visceral adipose tissues in comparison to valsartan.

Vaspin is an adipokine ameliorating ER stress in obesity as a ligand for cell-surface GRP78/MTJ-1 complex.

It is unknown whether adipokines derived from adipose tissues modulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced in obesity. Here, we show that visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) binds to cell-surface 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), which is recruited from ER to plasma membrane under ER stress. Vaspin transgenic mice were protected from diet-induced obesity, glucose intolerance, and hepatic steatosis, while vaspin-deficient mice developed glucose intolerance associated with upregulation of ER stress markers. With tandem affinity tag purification using HepG2 cells, we identified GRP78 as an interacting molecule. The complex formation of vaspin, GRP78, and murine tumor cell DnaJ-like protein 1 (MTJ-1) (DnaJ homolog, subfamily C, member 1) on plasma membrane was confirmed by cell-surface labeling with biotin and immunoprecipitation in liver tissues and H-4-II-E-C3 cells. The addition of recombinant human vaspin in the cultured H-4-II-E-C3 cells also increased the phosphorylation of Akt and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in a dose-dependent manner, and anti-GRP78 antibodies completely abrogated the vaspin-induced upregulation of pAkt and pAMPK. Vaspin is a novel ligand for cell-surface GRP78/MTJ-1 complex, and its subsequent signals exert beneficial effects on ER stress-induced metabolic dysfunctions.