Effects of high glucose on activity of MAPK in human mesangial cells

Objective To study the effects of high glucose on activity of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in cultured human mesangial cells and to explain the mechanism of diabetic nephropathy. Methods The human mesangial cells were incubated and divided into five groups according to the concentration of glucose in medium: normal group (11-mmol·L -1 glucose); high glucose group (30-mmol·L -1glucose);the MAPK special inhibitor PD98059 group (25-μmol·L -1 PD98059+30-mmol·L -1 glucose) and mannitol group (20-mmol·L -1 mannitol) as osmolity control. We used the MBP marked by 32P as substance to test the activity of MAPK. Result The activity of MAPK in the high glucose group was higher than that in the other groups.When treated with PD98059 ,the cell proliferation was inhibited. Conclusion The activity of MAPK in human mesangial cells increases when treated with high glucose,which may be related with the stress-activation induced by osmolity.