Lycopene powers the inhibition of glycation-induced diabetic nephropathy: a novel approach to halt the AGE-RAGE axis menace.

There are accumulating evidences suggesting that interaction between advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptors (RAGEs) induces oxidative stress and subsequently encourages inflammatory reactions, thereby resulting in progressive alteration in renal architecture and function. Interventions that reduce the tissue burden of AGEs have yielded significant positive results in inhibiting the progression of diabetic complications such as diabetic nephropathy. Lycopene, a carotenoid, plays an important role in protection against oxidative stress and hence might prove an efficient antiglycating agent. Current study investigates the effect of lycopene in downregulating the menace caused by ribose-induced glycation both in vitro and in vivo. We observed that treatment with lycopene decelerated the ribose induced AGE formation in HK-2 cells and in rat kidneys thereby downregulating the expression RAGE. HK-2 cells with decreased levels of RAGE showed a decline in nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP 2) expressions. Administration of ribose not only induced hyperglycemia in Wistar rats but also developed diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, lycopene was found effective in relieving the biochemical symptoms of DN. Thus lycopene provides protection against development of diabetic nephropathy and ameliorates renal function by halting AGE-RAGE axis.