Korean J Nephrol.
2007 May;26(3):311-319.
Angiopoietins in Diabetic Nephropathy
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Research Institute, SoonChunHyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea. eylee@sch.ac.kr
- 2Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea.
Abstract
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PURPOSE: It has been reported that angiopoietins and Tie-2 receptor play an important role in the maintenance of glomerular filtration barrier in various glomerulonephritis models. We studied the role of angiopoietins on renal injury in diabetes.
METHODS
In this study, we examined the changes of angiopoietin-1, angiopoietin-2, Tie-2 receptor, and nephrin expression in the experimental diabetic nephropathy and also determined whether these changes were modified by renoprotective intervention by angiotensin II receptor blocker, alpha-lipoic acid, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)-agonist.
RESULTS
A marked increase in urinary albumin excretion and glomerular volume was observed in diabetic rats. Renal angiopoietin-2 and Tie-2 receptor expression were significantly higher in diabetic rats than in the control groups, with a significant reduction in renal angiopoietin-2 expression, albuminuria, and renal hypertrophy in angiotensin II receptor blocker-treated diabetic rats. And there was a significant reduction in renal Tie-2 expression and renal hypertrophy in alpha-lipoic acid-treated and PPAR-gamma agonist-treated diabetic rats.
CONCLUSION
These results demonstrate that the dysregulation of angiopoietins and Tie-2 receptor can lead to renal hypertrophy and albuminuria. Angiotensin II receptor blocker, alpha-lipoic acid, and PPAR-gamma agonist attenuated these changes in angiopoietins and/or Tie-2 expression and prevented the development of albuminuria and renal hypertrophy in vivo.
