RESUMO
Objective To investigate the effect of protein kinase C (PKC) β inhibitor on the renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI) in rat models and detect the expression level of macrophage subtypes. Methods Eighteen healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into the Sham operation group (Sham group, n=6), RIRI group (n=6), PKCβ inhibitor +RIRI group (Inhibitor+RIRI group, n=6). Serum and left renal tissue samples were collected at postoperative 24 h. The contents of serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer. The infiltration of inflammatory cells and pathological injury in the renal tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The expression levels of CD68, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and CD206 proteins in the renal tissues of rats in each group were assessed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results The contents of serum Scr and BUN in the RIRI group were significantly higher than those in the Sham group (both P < 0.05). The contents of serum Scr and BUN in the Inhibitor+RIRI group were considerably lower than those in the RIRI group (both P < 0.05). No obvious renal injury was noted in the Sham group, whereas renal inflammatory cell infiltration and renal tubular structural damage were observed in the RIRI group. The renal inflammatory cell infiltration and renal tubular structural damage in the Inhibitor+RIRI group was slighter than that in the RIRI group. The protein expression levels of CD68, iNOS and CD206 in the renal tissue of rats in the RIRI group were significantly higher than those in the Sham group (all P < 0.05). The protein expression levels of CD68 and iNOS in the Inhibitor+RIRI group were remarkably lower than those in the RIRI group (all P < 0.05). The expression level of CD206 protein in the Inhibitor+RIRI group was significantly higher than that in the RIRI group (P < 0.05). Conclusions PKC β inhibitor can alleviate the RIRI in rat models to certain extent, which may be correlated with the role of PKC β inhibitor in mitigating inflammatory cell infiltration in ischemic renal tissues and promoting the expression of alternatively activated macrophage