Dietary zinc modifies diabetic-induced renal pathology in rats

• Published in: Renal failure 2017-11, Vol.39 (1), p.246-257
• Main Authors: Elsaed, Wael M., Mohamed, Hazem Abdelhamid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Caspase-3; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - chemically induced; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - complications; Diabetic Nephropathies - etiology; Diabetic Nephropathies - prevention & control; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Distal tubules; Fibrosis; kidney; Kidney Glomerulus - pathology; Kidney Tubules, Proximal - ultrastructure; Kidneys; Laboratory Study; Male; Mitochondria; Nutrient deficiency; pathology; Proximal tubules; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Streptozocin; Surface area; Tubules; Zinc; Zinc - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0886-022X; 1525-6049
• DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2016.1256321

This study was conducted to investigate how far dietary zinc (Zn) modifies the histomorphological alterations induced by diabetes in rat kidneys. The animals were divided into negative control group (10 rats). Diabetes was induced in thirty animals by streptozotocin. After confirming diabetes, the animals were divided into three groups (n = 10). Group II served as the positive control group (fed on standard diet), group III was fed on Zn deficient diet, and group IV was fed on Zn supplemented diet. Caspase-3 immune staining was used to estimate the caspase activity. Stereological procedures were used to measure the quantity of the immune stain and the surface area of the Bowman's space. The renal cortices of group II rats revealed apparent widening of Bowman's spaces with few apoptotic figures. The filtration barrier showed thickening of the basement membrane. The proximal convoluted tubules showed patchy loss of the apical microvilli with swollen mitochondria. The distal convoluted tubules revealed area of irregular basal enfolding. The picture was aggravated by Zn deficiency in group III besides areas of cortical interstitial fibrosis. The histopathological alterations were minimal in the cortices of group IV. A significant increase of the Bowman's space surface area in group II and IV while decrease in group III compared with group I. The expression of Caspase-3 density was significantly increased in group II and III compared with group I while in group IV was non significant. In conclusion, dietary Zn modulated renal cortical changes caused by diabetes in rats.