title: Effects of advanced glycosylation end products and rosiglitazone on the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in human renal mesangial cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Galectin-3 is the most recently identified advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) binding protein. This study aimed to investigate the effects of AGEs and rosiglitazone on the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in cultured human renal mesangial cells (HRMCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  HRMCs were incubated with different concentrations of AGE-bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0, 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg/L) for different time (0, 24, 36, 48, and 72 hours), and exposed to AGE-BSA in the presence of different concentrations of rosiglitazone (1, 10, and 100 micromol/L). The mRNA and protein expression of galectin-3 in HRMCs were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The culture medium of HRMCs was collected and concentrated, and the content of galectin-3 in the medium was detected by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both RT-PCR and Western blotting revealed that AGE-BSA up-regulated the expression of galectin-3 in HRMCs in a concentration- (P < 0.05) and time-dependent (P < 0.05) manner compared with the control. Compared with the control, AGE-BSA elevated the content of galectin-3 in the culture medium of HRMCs time- and concentration-dependently (P < 0.05, respectively). Both protein and mRNA expression of galectin-3, and its content in the medium of HRMCs exposed to different concentrations of rosiglitazone in the presence of AGE-BSA were increased compared with those of cells exposed to AGE-BSA alone (P < 0.05). Rosiglitazone increased the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AGEs up-regulates the expression and secretion of galectin-3 in HRMCs. Rosiglitazone further enhances the upregulation of galectin-3 in HRMCs induced by AGEs, which suggests that rosiglitazone may play a role of reno-protection via up-regulation of galectin-3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Zi-lin
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Chan-juan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Nai-feng
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050527:Mesangial Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; C081628:advanced glycation end products-bovine serum albumin; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine