Effects of mycophenolate mofetil on the expression of Nephrin and Podocin and its mechanism in the kidney of diabetic rats

Aim To investigate the effect of mycophenolate mofetil(MMF)on the expression of Nephrin and Podocin and its mechanism in the kidney of diabetic rats.Methods Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin after uninephrectomy,and MMF(10 mg·kg-1·d-1 was orally administered once a day for 8 wk.Blood glucose and 24 hours urinary albumin excretion rate(AER)were measured.The expression of ED-1,Nephrin,Podocin,interleukin-1(IL-1)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)protein in the kidney were determined by immunohistochemistry or Western blot analysis.Results Elevated AER was markedly attenuated by MMF treatment(P0.05).ED-1-positive cells were significantly increased in glomeruli of diabetic rats,which was effectively suppressed by MMF treatment(P0.05).Western blot analysis showed that the expression of Nephrin and Podocin protein was reduced in the kidney of diabetic rats,and MMF treatment significantly increased the expression of Nephrin and Podocin protein(P0.01).The expression of IL-1 and TNF-α protein in the kidney was significantly increased in diabetic rats,which was significantly inhibited by MMF treatment(P0.01).Conclusions MMF could decrease AER in diabetic rats,whose mechanism may be at least partly correlated with upregulating the expression of Nephrin and Podocin in the kidney.