Effect of a somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) on renal function and urinary protein excretion in diabetic rats

We evaluated the effect of a somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) on diabetic nephropathy using urinary albumin excretion as a marker in a streptozocin-induced diabetic unilateral nephrectomized rat model. Nondiabetic rats were injected with either 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) (n = 10) or SMS (n = 10). Diabetic rats were also injected with either 0.9% NaCl (n = 10) or SMS (n = 10). The control saline and SMS groups showed significant increases in urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and albumin clearance. The diabetic saline-treated rats showed no significant changes in UAE or albumin clearance. The diabetic SMS-treated rats showed significant decreases in UAE (151 +/- 76 mg/day/kg to 98 +/- 46, P less than .005) and albumin clearance (5.85 +/- 3.34 mL/day/kg to 3.63 +/- 1.73, P less than .01). There was no significant difference in kidney weight between the two control groups, but a significant difference was found between the two diabetic groups (3.35 +/- 0.39 g vs. 2.68 +/- 0.26 g, P less than .001). The results suggest that in early diabetes with renal hyperfiltration and hypertrophy, the administration of SMS may prevent progression to late diabetic nephropathy.