apoE Expression in Glomerulus and Correlation with Glomerulosclerosis Induced by Adriamycin in Rats

Abstract

Lipid deposition in glomerulus plays an important role in the progression of glomerulosclerosis (GS), and apolipoprotein E (apoE) is an important protein in cholesterol homeostasis. This investigation was performed to explore whether there exists an association between apoE and GS susceptibility. Eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: sham operation group and glomerulosclerosis model group, n = 40. The GS disease in rat was induced by uninephrectomy and injecting adriamycin (5 mg/kg) through the tail vein. At the end of 9 and 13 weeks, 20 rats in each group were killed and the relative samples were collected. Serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and 24-h urine protein were determined. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on renal tissue to detect the expression of apoE, collagen IV, fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin, and transforming growth factor-β1 in glomerulus. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect the apoE mRNA expression in renal tissue. Compared with sham operation group at the end of 9/13 weeks, glomerulosclerosis model group exhibited levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, 24-h urine protein, and a glomerulosclerosis index that were significantly elevated (  p < 0.01), and collagen IV, fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin, and transforming growth factor-β1 protein expression and apoE expression (protein and mRNA) were significantly upregulated (p < 0.01). In conclusion, apoE can increase the accumulation of extracellular matrix in glomerulus and may take part in the progression of GS.

• Apolipoprotein E
• extracellular matrix
• glomerulosclerosis

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (no. 0640103) and the Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (no. 0810). The authors gratefully acknowledge the most helpful comments on this article received from Professor Liang Rong, Department of Pediatric-Neonatology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.