title: Glomerular renin angiotensin system in streptozotocin diabetic and Zucker diabetic fatty rats.
abstract: Substantial evidence suggests that the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Although the glomerular RAS is activated in the streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rat, the status of the glomerular RAS in the Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat, which is a commonly used genetic model of diabetes, is not known. Angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin II (Ang II), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) were measured in glomeruli isolated from 4-week-old STZ-diabetic rats and 32-week-old ZDF rats. Glomerular injury was evaluated by histopathologic methods. Both STZ-diabetic and ZDF rats exhibited marked hyperglycemia and renal hypertrophy, but only ZDF rats demonstrated proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis. Glomerular AGT and Ang II levels were increased significantly in STZ-diabetic compared with nondiabetic control rats, accompanied by a reduction in ACE2 activity. In contrast, glomerular AGT, Ang II, and ACE2 were similar in ZDF rats and lean controls. ACE levels were not affected by diabetes in either diabetic model. In conclusion, the glomerular RAS is activated in the STZ diabetic rat but not in the ZDF rat despite a similar degree of hyperglycemia. The mechanism of nephropathy in the ZDF rat may involve factors other than hyperglycemia and RAS activation, such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
authors: Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA. david.leehey@va.gov
authors: David J
authors: DJ
authors: Leehey
authors: Ashok K
authors: AK
authors: Singh
authors: Joseph P
authors: JP
authors: Bast
authors: Periannan
authors: P
authors: Sethupathi
authors: Rekha
authors: R
authors: Singh
mesh_terms: D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011924:Rats, Zucker; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D000808:Angiotensinogen; D013311:Streptozocin; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; C000705329:Ace2 protein, rat; D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2