RESUMO
Objective To elucidate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA)on the metabolic abnormalities and renal pathologic changes during the early stage of diabetic nephropathy in KKAy/Ta mice.Methods Sixteen KKAy/Ta mice(7 weeks of age)were randomly divided into two groups(n=8).Since 12 weeks of age,EPA group were injected with EPA at 1 g?kg-1?d-1 intraperitoneally for 8 weeks,and the control group were injected with 0.9% saline.The levels of serum fatty acids were detected at 20 weeks of age by gas chromatography.The phenotypic characterizations were measured at 12,16 and 20 weeks of age.Renal morphological examinations were performed after 8 weeks of treatment.Results Serum EPA levels in KKAy/Ta mice treated with EPA [(125.8?15.5)?g/mL] were significantly higher than those in control group [(69.2?7.8)?g/mL] at 20 weeks of age(P