title: [Effects of alpha-keto acid on the expression of neuropeptide Y in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of alpha-keto acid on the expression of neuropeptide Y in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  SD rats received 5/6 nephrectomy and were fed with 4% casein to establish models of malnutrition with chronic renal failure. Serum albumin, urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, type-1 insulin like growth factor and body weight of the rats were measured. The rat models were randomized into chronic renal failure group, alpha-keto acid group and normal control group, and after a 4-week treatment as indicated, neuropeptide Y mRNA levels in the hypothalamus were measured by RT-PCR in rats with surgically induced renal failure (two-stage subtotal nephrectomy). The blood neuropeptide Y of the rats were analyzed by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Malnutrition occurred in chronic renal failure rats at the end of 10 weeks. Compared with those in the chronic renal failure group, the plasma neuropeptide Y concentrations in alpha-keto acid group were significantly lowered with substantially elevated neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  alpha-keto acid capsule can improve malnutrition in rats with renal insufficiency possibly by up-regulating neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and reducing the level of blood neuropeptide Y.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Hai-Bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D007651:Keto Acids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D007651:Keto Acids; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D012333:RNA, Messenger