The Effect of Insulin Treatment on Rac1 Expression in Diabetic Kidney. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gumustekin, Mukaddes; Micili, Serap Cilaker; Arici, Mualla Aylin; Karaman, Meral; Guneli, Mehmet Ensari; Tekmen, Işil
• Is Part Of: Renal failure. Volume 35:Number 3(2013)
• Page Start: 396
• Page End: 402
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: Chronic renal failure -- Periodicals; Acute renal failure -- Periodicals; Uremia -- Periodicals; 616.614005
• DOI: 10.3109/0886022X.2013.764256
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0886-022X

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>This study was designed to evaluate the renoprotective effect of insulin on diabetic nephropathy through Rac1 inhibition. Twenty Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (C), diabetic (D), and insulin-treated diabetic (<italic>D</italic> + I). Diabetes was induced by a single streptozotocin (STZ) injection (45 mg/kg i.p.) in adult male rats. Diabetic animals were treated subcutaneously with insulin (6 U/kg), or saline once a day for 8 weeks. Age-matched control rats received only saline. The kidney tissue samples were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining for Rac1 and cleaved caspase-3 expressions and using the TUNEL method for determining apoptotic cells. Diabetes increased the number of TUNEL (+) cells and cleaved caspase-3 and Rac1 expression levels in kidney. Administration of insulin for 8 weeks reduced Rac1 expression and ameliorated histopathological changes in kidney of STZ-induced diabetes model. These results may suggest that the renoprotective effect of insulin at least partly results from inhibition of Rac1 overexpression.</p> </abstract>