title: Beneficial effects of thiazolidinediones on diabetic nephropathy in OLETF rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetic nephropathy is the most serious of complications in diabetes mellitus. Thiazolidinedione (TZD) is thought to ameliorate diabetic nephropathy; however, the mechanism underlying this effect has not been elucidated. We hypothesized that the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) participates in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy and that TZD may be beneficial for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy because of the effect it has on VEGF.
  
  
  METHODS
  23 Otsuka- Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) rats and eight control Long-Evans-Tokushima-Otsuka (LETO) rats were divided into the following four groups: LETO group, control OLETF group, pioglitazone treated group (10mg/ kg/day), and rosiglitazone treated group (3mg/kg/day).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A progressive increase in urinary protein excretion was observed in the diabetic rats. Glomerular VEGF expression in the control OLETF rats was significantly higher than in the control LETO rats. However, there was a significant reduction in both the glomerular VEGF expression and the VEGF mRNA levels after treatment with pioglitazone and rosiglitazone. The twenty-four hour urine protein levels were significantly decreased in both groups of the treated OLETF rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that TZD may have beneficial effects on diabetic nephropathy by reducing the VEGF expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, 162 Ilsandong, Wonju, Gangwondo, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung Jun
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chan Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Jang Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Jang Yel
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Young Goo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Byung Pil
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Choon Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D000077205:Pioglitazone; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D000077205:Pioglitazone