Protective effects of rutin on kidney in type 1 diabetic mice

Diabetic nephropathy is one the most serious diabetic microangiopathies, which is the main cause of mortality in diabetic patients. Our research investigated the protective effects of rutin on kidney of the type 1 diabetes mice induced by streptozotocin (STZ). The levels of kidney weight index (KWI), postprandial plasma glucose (PPG), creatinine (Cre), blood urine nitrogen (BUN), the activity of super oxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione per oxidase (GSH-Px) were all measured. The histological morphology of kidney tissues was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, masson staining and electron microscope. The collagen I (COL-I) and transforming growth factor-β₁ (TGF-β₁) levels were estimated by immunohistochemistry, western blot and Real-Time PCR respectively. The results revealed that the levels of SOD and GSH-Px all increased, while the levels of KWI, PPG, Cre, BUN and MDA all decreased in diabetic mice after the rutin treatment for eight weeks. Moreover, the histological morphology of kidney tissues was also improved. Furthermore, the expression of COL-I and TGF-β₁ in kidney tissues increased significantly in the diabetic mice, which were antagonized by the rutin treatment. Together, the result suggested that rutin can improve kidney injury of the type 1 diabetic mice.