Quercetin Ameliorates Diabetic Nephropathy by Reducing the Expressions of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 and Connective Tissue Growth Factor in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Figures & data

Table 1. Metabolic and renal parameters of the three groups.

	Normal group	Diabetic group	Quercetin group
Body weight (g)	282.86 ± 18.50	195.87 ± 12.33^a	198.04 ± 13.35^a
Kidney weight/body weight (mg/g)	4.56 ± 0.39	10.13 ± 0.82^a	7.10 ± 0.62^a^,b
Blood glucose (mmol/L)	5.37 ± 0.52	23.43 ± 2.77^a	22.35 ± 2.28^a
UAE (mg/24 h)	22.47 ± 3.08	50.73 ± 11.31^a	35.10 ± 7.20^a^,b
sCr (mol/L)	50.88 ± 5.75	89.73 ± 11.31^a	64.18 ± 7.71^a^,b
BUN (mmol/L)	8.20 ± 1.34	15.39 ± 2.57^a	11.29 ± 1.85^a^,b
Ccr (mL/min/kg)	1.58 ± 0.51	3.67 ± 0.98^a	2.63 ± 0.72^a^,b

Notes: Data are expressed as mean ± SD; n = 12 per group. UAE, urine albumin excretion; sCr, serum creatinine; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Ccr, creatinine clearance.

^ap < 0.01 versus normal group; ^bp < 0.01 versus diabetic group.

Figure 1. Gene expressions of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were quantified by real-time PCR in the renal tissues of three groups (n = 8). Data are presented as fold change of transcripts for target gene in indicated groups normalized to GAPDH.

Note: ^ap < 0.01 for differences versus control group; ^bp < 0.01 for differences versus diabetic group.

Figure 2. (A) Representative Western blots showing transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and β-actin protein levels in the renal tissues of three groups. (B) Quantification of protein levels using TGF-β1/β-actin and CTGF/β-actin was expressed as mean ± SD (n = 12 per group) in each column.

Note: ^ap < 0.01 compared with the values of control rats; ^bp < 0.01 compared with the values of untreated diabetic rats.