Mycophenolate mofetil ameliorates diabetic nephropathy through epithelial mesenchymal transition in rats

Xiao,Xiaoyan; Wang,Jie; Chang,Xiangdi; Zhen,Junhui; Zhou,Gengyin; Hu,Zhao

doi:10.3892/mmr.2015.3934

September-2015 Volume 12 Issue 3

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September-2015 Volume 12 Issue 3

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Article Open Access

Mycophenolate mofetil ameliorates diabetic nephropathy through epithelial mesenchymal transition in rats

Authors:
- Xiaoyan Xiao
- Jie Wang
- Xiangdi Chang
- Junhui Zhen
- Gengyin Zhou
- Zhao Hu
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Department of Nephrology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China, Department of Pathology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China

Copyright: © Xiao et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 3.0].
Pages: 4043-4050
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Published online on: June 15, 2015

https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.3934
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Abstract

Recent studies in animal models have revealed that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has certain protective effects against experimental diabetic nephropathy. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the hypothesis that diabetic nephropathy may be ameliorated by mycophenolate mofetil and benazepril treatment alone or in combination, and identify the potential underlying mechanisms in a rat model. Diabetes was induced in rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Rats were subsequently treated with benazepril, MMF or a combination of the two drugs, and blood glucose, normalized kidney weight, urine protein and serum creatinine were determined. The pathological changes in renal tissue were also observed. In addition, indices of epithelial mesenchymal transition, including α‑smooth muscle actin (α‑SMA) and transforming growth factor (TGF)‑β1 expression, were examined. Normalized kidney weight, urine protein and serum creatinine levels were significantly improved in the diabetic rats treated with benazepril or mycophenolate mofetil, compared with those of rats in the untreated diabetic group. Pathological changes in the kidney were detected concurrently with increasing kidney weight and urinary albumin excretion, with a similar trend in variation among groups. In addition, the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition indices, including α‑SMA and TGF‑β1, in the renal tubule interstitium were significantly decreased in the benazepril‑ and MMF‑treated groups compared with those of the diabetic group. As expected, the aforementioned indices were markedly lower in the benazepril and MMF combined treatment group than those in the single medication groups. These data suggested that MMF may have a protective role in diabetic nephropathy, and that the underlying mechanism may be partially dependent upon the suppression of the epithelial mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, the combination of benazepril and MMF conferred enhanced efficacy over monotherapies in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.

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Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

Mycophenolate mofetil ameliorates diabetic nephropathy through epithelial mesenchymal transition in rats

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