Expression and activation of Smad2/3 in renal fibrosis associated with diabetic models in mice / 中国实用内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression and activation of Smad2/3 in renal fibrosis associated with diabetic model in mice.Methods Male homozygous C57BL/6 mice were divided at random into control group intraperitoneally (ip)injected with citrate buffer and diabetes group received 5 consecutive daily intraperitoneal injections of streptozoto- cin(STZ 50 mg/kg?d).All mice were followed up for 16 weeks.Diabetes was confirmed by serum glucose levels ex- ceeding 16.7 mmol/L.Mice were killed at 0,4,8,12 and 16week respectively after STZ injected.The kidney tissue was used for histological and morphometric studies,and the expression of TGF-?,phosphorylated Smad2/3 and ?- SMA by immunohistochemical staining.Results TGF-?,phosphorylated Smad2/3 and ?-SMA levels were obvious- ly increased in the diabetic kidney compared with those in control mice,phosphorylated Smad 2/3 was positively related to the expression of ?-SMA in the diabetic kidney.Conclusion The overexpression and activation of Smad 2/3 in dia- betic kidney may play an important role in renal fibrosis.