Conclusion
Our results demonstrated that inhibiting Cx43 expression by AS could provide renoprotection for the mouse model of obesity-related renal injury.
Methods
Five-week-old C57BL/6J mice were fed with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish an obesity-related renal injury model, then they were treated with Cx43 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS) or scrambled oligodeoxynucleotide (SCR) by an implanted osmotic pump for 4 weeks. Finally, the glomerular filtration function, the histological change in the glomeruli, and the markers of podocyte injury (WT-1, Nephrin) and inflammatory infiltration of renal tissue (CD68, F4/80 and VCAM-1) were examined respectively.
Results
The results showed that inhibiting Cx43 expression by AS in this mouse model of obesity-related renal injury can effectively improve glomerular filtration function, alleviate glomerular expansion and podocyte injury, and attenuate the inflammatory infiltration of renal tissue.