ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effects of resistin on mesangial cells proliferation induced by high glucose and subsequent change of p38MAPK signal pathway. Methods Human macrophrages were cultured and treated with adenovirus encoding for resistin (Ad-resistin) for 48 h and were then co-cultured with human mesangial cells stimulated by high glucose for another 48 h. Mesangial ceils were harvested and their proliferation was measured by 3H-TdR. Activator protein 1 (AP-1) was examined by immunocytochemistry and laminin of excellular matrix was observed with immuofluorescence. Protein levels of p38MAPK and TGF-β1 were measured by Western blot. Smad2 phosphatase activity was aslo detected by Western blot. Results The mRNA and protein levels of resistin were significantly higher in Ad-resistin treated macrophages than those in Ad treated cells (P<0.01). Over-expression of resistin up-regulated p38MAPK protein levels of human mesangial cells(P<0.05). Resistin also promoted the proliferation of mesangial cells (P<0.01) and the synthesis of laminin stimulated by high glucose. The expression of TGF-β1 and phosphorylation of Smad2 were up-regulated in the mesangial cells (P< 0.05). Conclusion Macrophage cytokine resistin may promote mesangial cells proliferation and abnormal accumulation of excellular matrix stimulated by high glucose via activating p38MAPK signal passway.