title: Creatine reduces collagen accumulation in the kidneys of diabetic db/db mice.
abstract: In the present study, we tested the hypothesis whether creatine, a metabolite of arginine metabolism, shares the pharmacological activities of arginine reducing collagen accumulation in the diabetic kidney. Ten db/db mice were given, for 3 months, a solution containing a daily dosage of creatine of 50 mg/kg body weight. Eleven db/db mice served as controls. At the end of the 3-month study period, the mean N-carboxymethyllysine concentration in the untreated group was significantly higher than in the treated group (0.163 +/- 0.18 versus 0.096 +/- 0.017 nmol/mumol hydroxyproline, p < 0.001). Collagen accumulation was also significantly higher in the untreated than in the treated group (2.21 +/- 0.24 versus 1.68 +/- 0.22 mumol hydroxyproline/100 mg kidney weight, p < 0.001). We conclude that creatine led to a significant reduction in collagen type IV accumulation resembling arginine or aminoguanidine action. We do suggest that the guanidino group common to both compounds is able to block reactive carbonyls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lubec
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aufricht
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herkner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoeger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adamiker
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gialamas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fang-Kircher
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lubec
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003401:Creatine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D003094:Collagen; D003401:Creatine; D006909:Hydroxyproline