Fig. 1PAS staining of glomeruli (A) and glomerular matrix indices (GMI) (B). PAS staining of glomeruli showed marked mesangial expansion and sclerosis in the CO group compared to other groups. Compared with the CO group, GMI scores were significantly decreased in the SPR, LO, and COM groups. CO, control Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) group; SPR, spironolactone-treated OLETF group; LO, losartan-treated OLETF group; COM, spironolactone- and losartan-treated OLETF group. aP<0.05 compared with CO group, bP<0.05 compared with SPR group, cP<0.05 compared with LO group. Scale bar, 100 µm, ×400.
Fig. 2Analysis of renal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. (A) Optical densities of immunohistochemical staining for VEGF. (B) VEGF mRNA expression by real-time RT-PCR, and (C) Western blot for renal VEGF expression. Optical densities of glomerular VEGF in the LO and COM groups were significantly lower than those of the CO and SPR groups. Quantitative analysis revealed that expression of VEGF mRNA was 0.35-fold in the SPR group, 0.67-fold in the LO group, and 0.22-fold in the COM group when compared with the CO group. Western blot did not show any differences among groups. CO, control Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) group; SPR, spironolactone-treated OLETF group; LO, losartan-treated OLETF group; COM, spironolactone- and losartan-treated OLETF group. aP<0.05 compared with CO group.
Fig. 3Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and collagen type IV mRNA expression by real time RT-PCR. Compared with the CO and LO groups, TGF-β and collagen type IV mRNA expression of the SPR and COM groups were significantly decreased. CO, control Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) group; SPR, spironolactone-treated OLETF group; LO, losartan-treated OLETF group; COM, spironolactone- and losartan-treated OLETF group. aP<0.05 compared with CO group, bP<0.05 compared with LO group.
Fig. 4Twenty-four hour urinary monocyte chemotactic protein- 1 (MCP-1) (A) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (B) levels. MCP-1 levels were not different among the four groups, but showed a decreasing trend in the LO and COM groups. MDA levels were significantly decreased in the COM group compared to the CO group. CO, control Otsuka-Long-Evans-Tokushima-Fatty (OLETF) group; SPR, spironolactone-treated OLETF group; LO, losartan-treated OLETF group; COM, spironolactone- and losartan-treated OLETF group. aP<0.05 compared with CO group.
Table 1Clinical characteristics of experimental rats