title: [Transforming growth factor-β1 regulates renal α3 and β1 integrin expressions in diabetic rats: a new insight into the renoprotective effect of irbesartan].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the association between renal transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the expressions of α3 and β1 integrins and observe the effect of irbesartan on their expressions in diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty 8-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group (n=7), diabetic control group (n=14) and irbesartan group (n=9). Rat models of diabetes were established by a single peritoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ), and 4 weeks later the rats received irbesartan treatment for 8 weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the urinary albumin excretion rate, and PAS staining was utilized to observe the renal pathologies. Immunohistochemistry was performed for semi-quantitative determination of podocyte density, and real-time RT-PCR was used to detect the renal TGF-β1 and α3/β1 integrin mRNA expressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In diabetic rats, the expression of renal TGF-β1 mRNA was significantly increased, while α3 and β1 integrin mRNA expressions and podocyte density significantly decreased with increased proteinuria. Irbesartan obviously improved such changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In diabetic rats renal TGF-β1 can regulate α3 and β1 integrin mRNA expressions to reduce the number of podocytes, and inhibition of this pathway may be one of the mechanisms of the renal protective effect of irbesartan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. emily_zhuyan@163.com
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yuan-yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jie-long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000378:metabolism*; D039422:Integrin alpha3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077405:Irbesartan; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D039422:Integrin alpha3; D019012:Integrin beta1; D013777:Tetrazoles; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D000077405:Irbesartan