Effects of ?-lipoic acid on the micro-and ultramicrostructure of the kidney in type 2 diabetic Goto Kakisaki rats / 中国实用内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of ?-lipoic acid(ALA)as a antioxidant on the histomorphologic changes of the kidney in type 2 diabetic Goto Kakisaki rats.Methods Four healthy Wistar rats(normal control group)and 10 GK rats were divided randomly into two groupsdiabetic control group and lipoic acid-treatment diabetic group(?-lipoic acid 35 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection qd alt),who were both fed for 12 weeks.Indexes of oxidative stress of kidney were measured.Sections of renal tissue were evaluated using both a light and electron microscope to assess histomorphologic changes.Paraffin sections of the left kidneys were prepared and stained with H&E,PAS and Masson stains to compare the histomorphologic changes.The image analysis software of Motic Image Advanced 3.1 was used to measure the area of glomerulus and mesangial region,and the thickness of the glomerular basement membrane(GBM).Results Compared with normal control group,there were significant decreases in GSH,SOD,VitC and VitE levels in diabetic control group.The kidneys of the normal control group exhibited normal cortical morphology as determined by light microscope.Mild glomerulosclerosis,characterized by widening of the mesangial region,mesangial expansion and intercapillary cells proliferation,and GBM thickening under electron microscope were observed in the diabetic control group.In the ALA-treatment group,all the above pathological changes were alleviated.Conclusion In the kidney of type 2 diabetic rat,there exists oxidative stress which is associated with diabetic nephropathy.?-Lipoic acid can alleviate the abnormal histomorphologic changes of the kidney via antioxidative effects.