title: Insulin and metformin may prevent renal injury in young type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes is increasing at epidemic proportions throughout the world, and diabetic nephropathy is the principal cause of end stage renal failure. Approximately 40% of patients with type 2 diabetes may progress to nephropathy and a good metabolic control can prevent the development of diabetic renal injury. The aim of our study was to evaluate, in young type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats fed with atherogenic diet, the effects of the anti-diabetic compounds insulin, metformin and gliclazide on renal damage. GK rats fed with atherogenic diet showed increased body weight and fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein and protein carbonyl levels and lower HDL-cholesterol concentration; renal markers of inflammation and fibrosis were also elevated. All the anti-diabetic agents ameliorated fasting glycaemia and insulin resistance but only insulin and metformin were able to improve glycoxidation, fibrosis and inflammation kidney parameters. Our data suggest that insulin and metformin treatments, improving glicoxidative, inflammatory and fibrotic renal damage markers, play a key role in the prevention of diabetic nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. tmlouro@mail.pt
authors.forename: Teresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Louro
authors.forename: Paulo N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Matafome
authors.forename: Elsa C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: Fernanda Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: Raquel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Seiça
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D005907:Gliclazide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008687:Metformin; D005907:Gliclazide