Feeding of banana flower and pseudostem to diabetic rats results in modulation of renal GLUTs, TGFβ, PKC and extracellular matrix components.
OBJECTIVE
Sustained hyperglycemia as a result of diabetes mellitus results in over-expression of glucose transporters (GLUTs/SGLTs), protein kinase C-α (PKC-α) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in kidney which increases synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components leading to diabetic nephropathy. Previous results from our laboratory showed that banana flower (BF) and pseudostem (BS) ameliorated diabetic complications and reduced formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). In this study, attempts were made to delineate the changes observed in GLUTs and ECM components in kidney by feeding BF and BS at the molecular level.


RESULTS
Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by injecting streptozotocin. Rats were fed with standard AIN-76 diet or diet supplemented with 5% BF or BS. Rats fed with diet supplemented with aminoguanidine (0.05%) were used as a positive control. Effect of BF and BS on expression of GLUTs/SGLTs, PKC and TGF β in kidney was evaluated by RT-PCR and accumulation of ECM components in kidney was quantitated by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. BF and BS modulated the over-expression of GLUT 1, 2, 5, SGLT 1, 2 and factors such as PKC-α and TGF-β to various extents. This impinged on the synthesis of ECM components like laminin, fibronectin and type-IV collagen.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that BF and BS reduce the diabetic nephropathy complications which are accompanied by changes at the molecular level.
Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore 570 020, Karnataka, India.
J B
JB
Jamuna
Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore 570 020, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: cdnandini@yahoo.com.
C D
CD
Nandini
D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007194:India; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D028521:Musa; D018547:Plant Stems; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D051247:Sodium-Glucose Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D051247:Sodium-Glucose Transport Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha
Banana flower; Banana pseudostem; Diabetes; Extracellular matrix components; Glucose transporters; Kidney