Experimental study on expression of urotensin II in renal tissue in STZ-induced early rats with diabetes

Objective: To explore expression of urotensin Ⅱ in renal tissue in STZ-rats with diabetes and its significance. Methods: Diabetic rats were induced by streptozocin(STZ), the experimental rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group(group C), diabetic rats(group D) and diabetic rats treated by insulin(group Y). 5 weeks later, the kidney specimens in different group were randomly collected and fixed in formalin and embedded with paraffin. The expression level and distribution of urotensin Ⅱ were evaluated with immunohistochemistry technique. Results: After treatment of 5 weeks, urotensin Ⅱ levels in renal tubule epithelial cells in group D increased remarkably compared with those in group C(P0.05),while UⅡ levels renal glomerulus endothelial cells in group D didn′t increase markedly.In comparison with group D,urotensinⅡ levels were significantly reduced in group Y (P0.05). Conclusion: The expression of UⅡ in renal tubule epithelial cells upregulated markedly in STZ-rats with diabetes;rigid controls of blood glucose by insulin can partly downregulate the expression of UⅡin renal tissue.UrotensinⅡmight play a role in the development of renal pathological changes in STZ-rats with diabetes.