Improved Effect Of Adenovirus-Mediated Adiponectin On Renal Function Of Diabetic Nephropathy Rats

Objective: To investigate the improved effect of the recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene in vivo on the renal function of diabetic nephropathy in rats. Method: Among 75 Wistar rats, 15 rats without treatment were randomly selected as the normal control group. The model of diabetic nephropathy rats was established by intraperitoneal injection of STZ and feeding with a high fat diet to the remaining 60 rats. And they were randomly and equally divided into the diabetic nephropathy group (saline), the recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene group, and the empty virus vector group. After 6 weeks intervention, the expression levels of adiponectin in renal tissues of each group were detected by using RT-PCR and Western blot. The levels of blood glucose, serum insulin, SCr, BUN and 24 h urine protein were analyzed, and renal pathologic changes and renal ultra-structure changes were observed under the light microscope and electron microscope respectively. What's more, apoptosis of kidney cells was detected by TUNEL method, and body weight and kidney weight of rats were measured as well in the experiment. Result: The expression of adiponectin mRNA and adiponectin protein was higher in recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene group than that in the normal control group, the diabetic nephropathy group and the empty virus vector group (P<0.05). Compared with the diabetic nephropathy group and the empty virus vector group, the levels of blood glucose, SCr, BUN and 24 h urine protein in recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene group were decreased significantly, whereas the level of serum insulin was increased greatly (P<0.05). The level of blood glucose, SCr, BUN and 24 h urine protein in the normal control group was the lowest and the level of serum insulin was the highest (P<0.01). Rat kidney weight/body weight: the normal control group was the lowest (P<0.05), and the recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene group was lower than the diabetic nephropathy group and the empty virus vector group (P<0.05). The TUNEL positive apoptosis rates of the diabetic nephropathy group and the empty virus vector group were the highest, followed by the recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene group, and the apoptosis rate of the normal control group was the lowest (P<0.05). Compared with the diabetic nephropathy group and the empty virus vector group, pathologic changes and ultra structure changes of the kidney in recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene group were reduced considerably. Conclusion: The recombinant adenovirus with local transfection of adiponectin gene can not only improve kidney pathomorphology and ultra structure of diabetic nephropathy rats, but also significantly decrease the level of blood glucose, SCr, BUN and 24 h urine protein. Meanwhile, it can help increase the level of serum insulin, and reduce cell apoptosis, which can improve renal dysfunction to a certain degree.