MP495RENOPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF L-CARNITINE IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

Abstract

Aim: L-Carnitine (LC) exerts protective effects on various types of injuries. This study aimed to investigate whether LC treatment would confer renoprotection in a rat model of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropa-thy (DN). Methods: Diabetes was established by intraperitoneal STZ injection (65 mg/kg) in Sprague Dawley rats. Diabetic rats were treated daily for 12 weeks with LC (50 or 200 mg/kg/d intravenously). The effects of LC on STZ-induced DN were evaluated by assessing renal function, urinary protein excretion, histopathology, macrophage infiltration, expression of proinflammatory and prosclerotic cytokines, apoptotic cell death, oxidative stress, and expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Results: LC administration significantly decreased glomerulosclerosis, preserved the number of podocytes, and reduced macrophage infiltration, which accompanied with improvements in urinary protein excretion and renal dysfunction. At the molecular level, LC treatment suppressed expression of proinflammatory and prosclerotic cytokines, which paralleled by significant attenuation of NF-κB expression. LC treatment also attenuated increase of apoptotic cell death and oxidative stress. Conclusion: LC has a renoprotective effect on STZ-induced DN.