Figure 7

The effect of anti-oxidants on glomerulosclerosis in db/db mice. (A) PAS staining of glomeruli from 15-week-old db/m, db/db, and db/db mice treated with Tempol for 8 weeks. Scale bar, 20 µm. Mesangial sclerosis is significantly increased in db/db mice compared to db/m mice, but Tempol significantly decrease in db/db mice. Semi-quantitative glomerulosclerosis scores of 20 glomeruli each from three mice per group. Data represent the mean ± SEM. n = 3. Filled circle: db/m mice; open circle: db/db mice; open triangle open triangle: db/db+ Tempol. (B) Representative images of immunostaining of TGFB1, α−smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and type IV collagen (Col IV) in glomeruli from 15-week-old db/m, db/db, and db/db mice treated with Tempol for 8 weeks. Treatment with Tempol attenuated increased immunostaining of TGFB1, α-SMA and Col IV in the glomeruli of db/db mice. Scale bar, 20 µm. (C) 24-hr urinary albumin excretion at 15-week old db/m, db/db and db/db treated with Tempol for 8 weeks. Urinary albumin excretion is significantly increased in db/db mice compared with db/m mice, but treatment with Tempol significantly reduce the increased urinary albumin in db/db mice. Data represent the mean ± SEM. n = 4.