Figure 4
Effect of ACE-i and ETA-RB on glomerular and tubulointerstitial expression of fibronectin, endothelin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in diabetic and nondiabetic SHR/N-cp. □, glomerular expression; ▪, tubulointerstitial expression; •, p < 0.05 versus nondiabetic lean control; ○, p < 0.05 untreated obese control versus obese diabetic SHR/N-cp + ACE-i. ×, p < 0.05 untreated obese control versus obese diabetic SHR/N-cp + ETA-RB; ♦, p < 0.05 obese diabetic SHR/N-cp + ACE-i versus obese diabetic SHR/N-cp + ETA-RB. Fibronectin: In diabetic SHR/N-cp rats, ACE-i only decreased glomerular fibronectin expression. ET-1: In diabetic SHR/N-cp rats, expression was markedly lower after treatment with ACE-i. Tubulointerstitial staining with ET-1 was significantly higher in diabetic rats than in nondiabetic controls. In diabetic rats, expression was markedly lower after treatment with ACE-i. PDGF: ACE-i treatment reduced glomerular and tubulointerstitial staining in obese animals. TGF-β1: Both treatment groups showed significantly lower glomerular and tubulointerstitial TGF-β1 protein expression than untreated diabetic rats, but ACE-i only normalized glomerular staining.
