Figure 5

Effects of ipragliflozin on glomerular injury in db/db mice. (a) Immunostaining for SGLT2 showed negative staining within glomeruli in db/m and db/db mice. (b) Ipragliflozin ameliorated reductions in podocyte-specific gene expression in db/db mice. (c,d) Immunostaining of 3-nitrotyrosine and the quantification of positive glomeruli showed that ipragliflozin reduced its expression within glomeruli in db/db mice. Arrowheads indicate nitrotyrosine-positive glomerular cells. (e) High-dose ipragliflozin prevented the up-regulation of Nox4 in glomeruli isolated from db/db mice. (f) Transmission electron microscopy of glomerulus showed that the foot process effacement of podocytes was ameliorated by the ipragliflozin treatment. Magnified pictures of dotted squares are shown in the small squares. Stars indicate glomerular capillary lumens. Arrowheads indicate podocyte foot processes. Data show the means ± SD, *p < 0.05 vs db/db (−), ^#p < 0.05 vs db/db-LD, ^†p < 0.05 vs db/db-HD, Bar = 50 μm in (a) and (c). n = 4–5 mice in each group, one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparison.