title: Kefir administration reduced progression of renal injury in STZ-diabetic rats by lowering oxidative stress.
abstract: This study aimed at assessing the effects of Kefir, a probiotic fermented milk, on oxidative stress in diabetic animals. The induction of diabetes was achieved in adult male Wistar rats using streptozotocin (STZ). The animals were distributed into four groups as follows: control (CTL); control Kefir (CTLK); diabetic (DM) and diabetic Kefir (DMK). Starting on the 5th day of diabetes, Kefir was administered by daily gavage at a dose of 1.8 mL/day for 8 weeks. Before and after Kefir treatment, the rats were placed in individual metabolic cages to obtain blood and urine samples to evaluate urea, creatinine, proteinuria, nitric oxide (NO), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and C-reactive protein (CRP). After sacrificing the animals, the renal cortex was removed for histology, oxidative stress and NOS evaluation. When compared to CTL rats, DM rats showed increased levels of glycemia, plasmatic urea, proteinuria, renal NO, superoxide anion, TBARS, and plasmatic CRP; also demonstrated a reduction in urinary urea, creatinine, and NO. However, DMK rats showed a significant improvement in most of these parameters. Despite the lack of differences observed in the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) was significantly lower in the DMK group when compared to DM rats, as assessed by Western blot analysis. Moreover, the DMK group presented a significant reduction of glycogen accumulation within the renal tubules when compared to the DM group. These results indicate that Kefir treatment may contribute to better control of glycemia and oxidative stress, which is associated with the amelioration of renal function, suggesting its use as a non-pharmacological adjuvant to delay the progression of diabetic complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovana R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Punaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiane R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adelson M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Public Health College, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rogero
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristina S B
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bogsan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marice N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvia S M
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio R R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Araujo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Talita R C
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Sanches
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucia C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: emshiga@unifesp.br.
authors.forename: Elisa M S
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Higa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D043302:Cultured Milk Products; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000178:diet therapy; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013311:Streptozocin
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D013311:Streptozocin; D006003:Glycogen
keywords: Diabetes and renal function; Kefir; Nitric oxide; Oxidative stress