title: Effects of thymoquinone on STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy: an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymoquinone (TQ) is the most abundant and active ingredient of Nigella sativa (NS) seeds. Its hepatic, renal, and cardiac protective effects have been demonstrated in animal models. Streptozotocin (STZ) is an antibiotic that is widely used experimentally as an agent capable of inducing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), also known as type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was carried out in an attempt to highlight the possible beneficial effects of TQ in STZ-induced diabetes in rats and to determine the predictive value of mesenchymal and epithelial markers in the response of diabetic nephropathy to TQ.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty adult male albino rats were divided in 3 groups: control, diabetic untreated, and diabetic treated with TQ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diabetic rats exhibited morphological changes in both renal glomeruli and tubules with immunohistochemical expression of the mesenchymal markers Fsp1, desmin, and MMP-17 and disappearance of the epithelial marker ZO-1 largely in the glomeruli of diabetic kidneys. Treatment with TQ significantly attenuated renal morphological and immunohistochemical changes in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thymoquinone has protective effects on experimental diabetic nephropathy. Both mesenchymal and epithelial markers serve as excellent predictors of early kidney damage and indicators of TQ responsiveness in STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt; and Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Qassim University , Buraydah , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ola M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Omran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053515:Matrix Metalloproteinase 17 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C579666:FSP1 protein, rat; D053515:Matrix Metalloproteinase 17; C003466:thymoquinone