R J Richards1, J R Porter, F Inserra, L F Ferder, I Stella, E Reisin, F Svec. 1. Section of Endocrinology and Section of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112-2822, USA. richards@lsuhsc.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The obese Zucker rat exhibits insulin resistance, develops nephropathy at an early age, and may be a model of diabetic nephropathy. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may ameliorate many of the factors that contribute to diabetic nephropathy, while angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are known to be effective. One marker of nephropathy is the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin. METHODS: We studied the effect of DHEA on the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in obese Zucker rats and compared the changes with those in a control group, a group given quinapril, and a group on a low-calorie diet. DHEA (0.6%) added to plain chow, quinapril (0.3 mg/kg) added to drinking water, and a low-calorie diet based on pair-feeding were administered to obese rats from age 4 to 20 weeks. Immunohistochemical expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, a marker of interstitial and glomerular fibrosis and an early indicator of nephropathy, was measured semiquantitatively in glomeruli, cortical interstitium, and medullary interstitium on a scale of 0 to 4 and was reported as mean +/- SEM. RESULTS: When compared with the obese control group, quinapril exhibited a marked reduction in alpha-smooth muscle actin staining in glomeruli, cortical interstitium, and medullary interstitium (P < 0.0005); DHEA reduced alpha-smooth muscle actin staining in cortical interstitium and medullary interstitium (P < 0. 005), and a low-calorie diet reduced alpha-smooth muscle actin staining in cortical and medullary interstitium (P < 0.005), which was similar to the effects of DHEA. CONCLUSIONS: DHEA was similar to a low-calorie diet in reducing the immunohistochemical staining of alpha-smooth muscle actin in obese Zucker rats. However, quinapril exerted a marked protective effect on the development of fibrosis, as indicated by alpha-smooth muscle actin staining, which was significantly less than that of DHEA at the doses studied.
BACKGROUND: The obese Zucker rat exhibits insulin resistance, develops nephropathy at an early age, and may be a model of diabetic nephropathy. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may ameliorate many of the factors that contribute to diabetic nephropathy, while angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are known to be effective. One marker of nephropathy is the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin. METHODS: We studied the effect of DHEA on the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in obese Zucker rats and compared the changes with those in a control group, a group given quinapril, and a group on a low-calorie diet. DHEA (0.6%) added to plain chow, quinapril (0.3 mg/kg) added to drinking water, and a low-calorie diet based on pair-feeding were administered to obeserats from age 4 to 20 weeks. Immunohistochemical expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, a marker of interstitial and glomerular fibrosis and an early indicator of nephropathy, was measured semiquantitatively in glomeruli, cortical interstitium, and medullary interstitium on a scale of 0 to 4 and was reported as mean +/- SEM. RESULTS: When compared with the obese control group, quinapril exhibited a marked reduction in alpha-smooth muscle actin staining in glomeruli, cortical interstitium, and medullary interstitium (P < 0.0005); DHEA reduced alpha-smooth muscle actin staining in cortical interstitium and medullary interstitium (P < 0. 005), and a low-calorie diet reduced alpha-smooth muscle actin staining in cortical and medullary interstitium (P < 0.005), which was similar to the effects of DHEA. CONCLUSIONS:DHEA was similar to a low-calorie diet in reducing the immunohistochemical staining of alpha-smooth muscle actin in obese Zucker rats. However, quinapril exerted a marked protective effect on the development of fibrosis, as indicated by alpha-smooth muscle actin staining, which was significantly less than that of DHEA at the doses studied.
Authors: Zoltan Balazs; Roberto A S Schweizer; Felix J Frey; Françoise Rohner-Jeanrenaud; Alex Odermatt Journal: J Am Soc Nephrol Date: 2007-11-21 Impact factor: 10.121