[Expression of STAT3 and PIAS3 in renal tissues of MRL/lpr mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of STAT3 and PIAS3 in the renal tissues of rats with lupus nephritis.


METHODS
The kidneys were harvested from 18-week-old female MRL/lpr mice (lupus nephritis model group) and age-matched female BALB/C mice (normal control group). The expressions of STAT3 and PIAS3 mRNA in the renal tissues were measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR, and the protein levels of STAT3 and p-STAT3 were examined using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The laboratory indices and renal histopathology of the mice were also investigated.


RESULTS
The urinary protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels were significantly higher in MRL/lpr mice than in the control mice (P<0.05). The renal histopathology of MRL/lpr mice was characterized by increased mesangiocapillary proliferation and prominent inflammatory infiltration in the tubulo-interstitium, which were absent in the kidneys of normal control mice. Compared with the control mice, MRL/lpr mice showed significantly increased STAT3 mRNA and p-STAT3 protein levels in the renal tissues (P<0.05) with significantly lowered levels of PIAS3 mRNA (P<0.01). No significant difference was noted in the total STAT3 protein levels between MRL/lpr and control mice.


CONCLUSIONS
MRL/lpr mice have significantly increased expressions of STAT3 mRNA and p-STAT3 protein and decreased expression of mRNA PIAS3 in the kidneys compared with BALB/C mice.
Department of Nephrology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. YangHui22shuang@yahoo.com.cn
Hui
H
Yang
Anping
A
Xu
Jun
J
Lv
Ya
Y
Liu
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D050828:Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
C109279:Pias3 protein, mouse; D050828:Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494087:Stat3 protein, mouse