Protective effects of Irbersartan against podocyte injury in rats with early diabetic nephropathy

Objective To investigate the effects of Irbersartan on proteinuria and the mchanisms in rat model with Diabetic Nephropathy(DN).Methods The Diabetic Nephropathy Rat Model was established by the injection of streptozotocin in abdominal cavity.30 healthy Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the normal group,diabetic nephropathy group and Irbesartan treatment group.The blood glucose was monitored routinely.After eight weeks,rats from each group were killed.Twenty-four hours urine protein,serum creatine were measured at the end of the study.Renal pathological and podocyte changes were evaluated.The Protein of nephrin expression was assessed by western blot analysis.In diabetic nephropathy group,it is observed that the volume of renal glomerulus was inlarged,the basement membrane was thickening,and the mesenterium mass was increased.There were some inflammatory cells in renal glomerulus.Some capillary lumen became collapsed due to compression and some renal tubular epithelial cells was slightly edematus.Results The number of potocyte was decreased dramaticly in DM group compared wtih normal group(P0.01).Compared to DM group,the basement membrane became thinning and the number of podocyte was increased in the treatment groups(P0.05).In diabetic nephropathy group,Compared with the normal group,the twenty-four hours urine protein、serum creatine,serum glucose were raised significantly in the diabetic nephropathy group(P0.05) and treated group(P0.05).Compared with the diabetic nephropathy group,the twenty-four hours urine protein,serum creatine,serum glucos were reduced significantly in treated group(P0.05).The expression of nephrin decreased noticeably in diabetic nephropathy group.ARB treatment could significantly reverse the change.Conclusion ARB could enhanced the expression of nephrin and amendment pathological lesions of podocyte and nephron and obviously reduced the twenty-four hours urine protein in diabetic nephropathy rats.