ABSTRACT
Transforming Growth Factor-beta [TGF-beta] activation appears to be crucial for tissue injury in Diabetic Nephropathy [DN]. Fibromodulin, the small leucine-rich proteoglycan, has been proposed to be the potent TGF-beta modulator. In this study, the therapeutic effects of fibromodulin in the kidneys of streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Diabetic rats received intraperitoneal [IP] injections of recombinant adenovirus expression vectors [RAd5] containing fibromodulin [RAd- FMOD] and were killed after 10 weeks. Proteins were isolated from the rat kidney and separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The differentially expressed proteins were analyzed using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry [MALDI-TOF-MS]. Ten spots were identified using MALDI-TOF-MS. The identified proteins were primarily responsible for cell metabolism, cytoskeleton formation, and oxidative stress. RAd- FMOD treatment markedly attenuated the albuminuria in diabetic rats. Taken together, these results provide a valuable clue in exploring the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of fibromodulin in diabetic nephropathy suggesting that it can be a potential agent in the treatment of this disease