Objective: To observe the effect of blood glucose fluctuation and the sustained high blood glucose on renal pathological change and collagen IV (Col IV) expression in diabetic rats.
Methods: The 60 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into a normal control group (NC) and a model group (DM). The rats in the normal control group were fed with normal diet, while the rats in the model group were fed with high-sucrose-high-fat diet for 6 weeks. After that,streptozocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg) was injected to induce diabetic model. The model group was then randomly divided into 2 subgroups: a sustained high blood glucose group and a fluctuation blood glucose group (animals in the latter group were subcutaneously injected with insulin twice daily). Rats were sacrificed after 3 months and kidney tissues were dissected for HE and PAS staining, Col IV immunohistochemistry and Western blot.
Results: Compared with the normal control group, the renal glomeruli and capillary basal membrane in the diabetic rats was getting larger and thicker, respectively; the capsular space and ground substance was extended and increased, respectively; the volume of renal tubule, kidney hypertrophy index, glomeruler sclerosis index and Col IV content were all increased in the diabetic rats (P<0.01). Compared with the sustained high blood glucose group, the above mentioned pathological changes were more serious in the blood glucose fluctuation group.
Conclusion: The capillary basal membrane of kidney in diabetic rats is thicker and the ground substance is increased. The degree of glomeruler sclerosis is more serious in the blood glucose fluctuation group compared with the sustained high blood glucose group, which is confirmed by the increased level of Col IV.