Abstract
Background and Objective: Nephropathy secondary to diabetes is a severe disease that can advance to end-stage renal failure leaving kidney transplant as the only available method of treatment. This study sought to determine whether the plant polyphenolic compound, resveratrol (RSV) can inhibit diabetes-induced kidney fibrosis axis, inflammation/nitrosative stress/collagen in rats. Materials and Methods: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) was established in rats using a blend of a high-fat diet and a single injection of streptozotocin. Whereas, the protective group of rats was pretreated with RSV suspension (30 mg kg(-1)) followed by diabetes induction and continued on resveratrol until the scarification day for all the groups, at 12 week. Results: Hyperglycemia, weight loss, high levels of blood creatinine and urea and substantial kidney collagen fibers deposition confirmed diabetic nephropathy development. Also, diabetes significantly (p<0.0001) induced blood and kidney tissue protein expression of (1) Inflammation, Tumour Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and (2) The nitrosative stress marker, Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS) enzyme using immunohistochemistry. All the above-mentioned parameters were inhibited by RSV. Furthermore, a significant correlation was detected between inflammation/iNOS/collagen axis and kidney injury biomarkers. Conclusion: Induction of T2DM for 10 weeks in rats develops nephropathy associated with the induction of inflammation and nitrosative stress, which is protected by resveratrol. This may suggest a likely therapeutic potential in diabetic nephropathy.