TY - JOUR AB - The progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is accelerated by smoking. The current study investigated the ability of curcumin to protect the kidneys against damage from oxidative stress induced by diabetes mellitus (DM) and nicotine (NC). A total of 24 male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six rats each. DM was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin 60 mg/kg body weight. DM rats were treated with or without NC in the absence or presence of curcumin for 8 weeks. As compared with the controls, DM rats exhibited reduced serum levels of high density lipoprotein, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased renal mRNA expression levels of synaptopodin, connexin 43 and erythropoietin (EPO), which were further suppressed by NC and restored to normal levels by curcumin treatment. Additionally, DM rats exhibited increases in their lipid profiles (cholesterol, triacylglycerol and phospholipids), oxidative markers (malondialdehyde, γ‑glutamyltranspeptidase and nitric oxide), kidney function markers (urea and creatinine) and the mRNA expression levels of vimentin, desmin, SREBP‑1, iNOS and TGF‑β1. These effects were further enhanced by NC, but counteracted by curcumin treatment. Kidneys from DM rats displayed glomerular hypertrophy, sclerosis and tubulo‑interstitial changes represented by tubular lipid deposition, interstitial mononuclear cell infiltration and fibroplasia. Pancreatic islets exhibited cellular vacuolation, morphological irregularity and damaged or reduced in size β‑cells. These renal and pancreatic changes became more severe following NC treatment and were ameliorated by curcumin. Therefore, NC‑induced DN progression may predominantly operate by increasing oxidative stress, reducing the levels of antioxidants, suppressing EPO levels, and causing perturbations to gap junction and podocyte structure. Curcumin may ameliorate the damaging effects of DM and NC on the kidney through normalization of the mRNA expression levels of several genes important in the progression of DN. AD - Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Taif University, Al‑Hawiyah, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, Al‑Hawiyah, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Turubah, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia AU - Ibrahim,Zein,Shaban AU - Alkafafy,Mohamed,Elsayed AU - Ahmed,Mohamed,Mohamed AU - Soliman,Mohamed,Mohamed DA - 2016/04/01 DO - 10.3892/mmr.2016.4922 EP - 3026 IS - 4 JO - Mol Med Rep KW - diabetes nicotine curcumin kidney rat PY - 2016 SN - 1791-2997 1791-3004 SP - 3017 ST - Renoprotective effect of curcumin against the combined oxidative stress of diabetes and nicotine in rats T2 - Molecular Medicine Reports TI - Renoprotective effect of curcumin against the combined oxidative stress of diabetes and nicotine in rats UR - https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2016.4922 VL - 13 ER -