Xuezhikang () reduced renal cell apoptosis in streptozocin-induced diabetic rats through regulation of Bcl-2 family / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Xuezhikang (, XZK) on renal cell apoptosis in diabetic rats and the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-six rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the normal, model and XZK groups. In each group, the rats were further randomly divided into 3-month and 6-month subgroups, respectively. Diabetes of rats was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 1% streptozocin at 60 mg/kg body weight. Rats in the XZK group received gastric perfusion of XZK (1200 mg/kg body weight) everyday for 3 or 6 months, while rats in the normal and model groups received equal volume of saline. Twenty-four hours' urine was collected for urinary albumin excretion (UAE) measurement. Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Masson's trichrome staining were used for saccharides and collagen detection. Cell apoptosis of renal cortex was investigated by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Bax and Bcl-2 expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively. Cytochrome C (Cyt C) and caspase-9 concentration were detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group, XZK treatment could significantly decrease the kidney hypertrophy index, 24 h UAE, renal cell apoptosis, cytoplasmic Cyt C level and active caspase-9 level, as well as suppress the increment of Bax and up-regulate the expression of Bcl-2, leading to the suppression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio at 3 and 6 months (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Moreover, XZK treatment could alleviate the deposition of PAS-stained saccharides and Masson's trichromestained collagen to different extent.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Renal cell apoptosis was observed in diabetic kidney, in which mitochondrial apoptotic pathway might be involved. XZK treatment could attenuate pathological changes in diabetic kidney and reduce renal cell apoptosis, probably via the suppression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, which lead to inhibition of Cyt C release and following caspase-9 activation.</p>

Central obesity and metabolic risk factors in middle-aged Chinese / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Central obesity is considered to be a central component of metabolic syndrome. Waist circumference (WC) has been widely used as a simple indicator of central obesity. This study is aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of WC cut-off values for predicting metabolic risk factors in middle-aged Chinese.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The study involved 923 subjects aged 40-65 years. The metabolic risk factors were defined according to the Chinese Joint Committee for Developing Chinese Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in Adults. WC cut-off 85-90 cm and ⋝90 cm were used as cut-off values of central pre-obesity and central obesity in males, respectively, while WC 80-85 cm and ⋝85 cm were used as cut-off values of central pre-obesity and central obesity in females.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>First, WC values corresponding to body mass index (BMI) 24 kg/m2 and visceral fat area (VFA) 80 cm2 were 88.55 cm and 88.51 cm in males, and 81.46 cm and 82.51 cm in females respectively. Second, receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the optimal WC cut-off of value was 88.75 cm in males, higher than that in females (81.75 cm). Third, the subjects with higher WC values were more likely to have accumulating metabolic risk factors. The prevalence of metabolic risk factors increased linearly and significantly in relation to WC levels.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>WC cut-off values of central pre-/central obesity are optimal to predict multiple metabolic risk factors.</p>

Effects of pioglitazone on expressions of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 in kidneys of diabetic rats / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The changes in matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expressions were examined in the kidneys of diabetic rats to investigate the degradative pathway of collagen type IV (C-IV) and the protective effects of pioglitazone on an experimental model of diabetic nephropathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In 54 SD rats used in our study, 18 served as normal controls. Diabetes mellitus was induced in 36 age- and weight-matched rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (70 mg/kg); 18 of the diabetic rats were allocated at random to receive pioglitazone [20 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)] in their drinking water and 18 served as diabetic controls. Rats were killed after 2, 4, or 8 weeks of treatment. Kidneys were examined pathomorphologically and the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, and C-IV were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and the results were quantified by image analysis techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Diabetes mellitus was associated with a decrease in the expression of MMP-2 in the glomeruli (P < 0.05, vs control). By contrast, MMP-2 expression in the interstitium increased, but not significantly (P > 0.05, vs control). The expression of MMP-9 did not show any change when comparing the three groups (P > 0.05, vs control). STZ-diabetic rats were also associated with an increase in the expression of C-IV in the glomeruli and the interstitium (P < 0.05, vs control). All diabetes-associated changes in MMP-2 expression were attenuated by pioglitazone treatment in association with reduced C-IV accumulation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results indicate that a decrease in MMP-2 expression in the glomeruli of diabetic rats may lead to impairment of C-IV degradation and contribute to the matrix accumulation in diabetic nephropathy. Pioglitazone treatment, which can attenuate the decrease of glomerular MMP-2 and the increase of C-IV degradation, has curative effects on diabetic nephropathy.</p>

TGF-beta1mRNA levels in renal cortex and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of diabetic rats / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of hyperglycemia and pioglitazone on TGF-beta(1) gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and renal cortex, and the correlation of TGF-beta(1)mRNA levels between PBMC and renal cortex in STZ induced diabetic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: 18 normal control rats (group C), 18 diabetic rats (group D) and 18 diabetic rats treated with pioglitazone (20 mg x kg(-1)x d(-1), group DP). Six rats from each group were sacrificed at 2, 4, 8 weeks. TGF-beta(1)mRNA levels of PBMC and renal cortex were examined by RT-PCR+Slit hybridization analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>TGF-beta(1)mRNA level of renal cortex in group D was significantly higher than that in group C at each time point (P<0. 05); TGF-beta(1)mRNA level of PMBC in group D was slightly higher than that of group C at 4 weeks, and significantly higher at 8 weeks (P=0.01). There was positive correlation of TGF -beta(1)mRNA level between PBMC and renal cortex before (r=0.83, P=0.02) and after pioglitazone treatment at 8 weeks (r=0.82, P=0.03).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TGF-beta(1)mRNA level of PBMC may reflect the change of TGF-beta(1) gene expression of renal cortex in diabetic rats.</p>