Abstract
The aquatic extract of Dendropanax morbifera (DP) is typically consumed as a beverage in Korea and China and is also used in various traditional medicines. However, the functional role of DP on diabetes-induced renal fibrosis is unclear. Here, the protective effects of DP extract against diabetes-induced renal fibrosis were evaluated. Streptozotocin (STZ, 60 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally in rats to induce diabetes. After 5 days, DP extract (25 mg/kg/day) and metformin (50 mg/kg/day) were administered orally to diabetic rats for 28 days. DP administration protected both body and organ weight loss in STZ-treated diabetic rats. Significant improvements in serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and oxidative stress parameters were observed in diabetic rats by DP administration. DP extract markedly protected diabetic-induced histopathological damages in the kidney and pancreas. A significant reduction was observed in microalbumin, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), selenium binding protein-1 (SBP1), and pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme M2 (PKM2) levels in the urinary excretion of diabetic rats after the administration of DP extract. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and fibrosis marker levels were significantly reduced in the kidney of diabetic rats. Our results strongly indicate that DP extract exhibits protective activity against diabetes-induced renal fibrosis through ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, we suggest that DP extract can be used as a preventive agent on the progression of diabetic nephropathy and renal fibrosis.
Highlights
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs because of insufficient secretion or the absence of insulin in the body, resulting in hyperglycemia, which may lead to renal dysfunction [1,2].The prevalence of diabetes-induced renal injury has been intensifying worldwide [3,4]
Primary antibodies against pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme M2 (PKM2), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), selenium binding protein-1 (SBP1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), collagen-1, fibronectin, alpha-smooth muscle antigen (α-SMA), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and β-actin had been obtained from Abcam (Cambridge, MA, USA)
Our experimental study elucidated that the serum creatinine (sCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were significantly increased in STZ-induced diabetic rats, which indicates that these rats exhibited severe kidney injury
Summary
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs because of insufficient secretion or the absence of insulin in the body, resulting in hyperglycemia, which may lead to renal dysfunction [1,2].The prevalence of diabetes-induced renal injury has been intensifying worldwide [3,4]. 30–50% of diabetes patients develop diabetic nephropathy, which has become a critical reason for the high morbidity and mortality rates [5]. Diabetic nephropathy is a one of the leading factors in the expansion of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in diabetes patients and is the Antioxidants 2020, 9, 84; doi:10.3390/antiox9010084 www.mdpi.com/journal/antioxidants. Antioxidants 2020, 9, 84 causative factor for approximately 40% of new ESRD cases in both Western and Asian countries [6]. Diabetic nephropathy has been classically defined by the urinary excretion of microalbumin, and the stage is known as microalbuminuria [7]. The accretion of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the blood may have an imperative role in the progression and development of diabetic nephropathy in patients via both oxidative stress and chronic inflammation [9,10]
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