Histopathological analyses of diabetic nephropathy in sucrose-fed Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty rats

Translation Animal Models of Diabetic Kidney Disease: Biochemical and Histological Phenotypes, Advantages and Limitations

Animal models play a crucial role in studying the pathogenesis of diseases, developing new drugs, identifying disease risk markers, and improving means of prevention and treatment. However, modeling diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has posed a challenge for scientists. Although numerous models have been successfully developed, none of them can encompass all the key characteristics of human DKD. It is essential to choose the appropriate model according to the research needs, as different models develop different phenotypes and have their limitations. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of biochemical and histological phenotypes, modeling mechanisms, advantages and limitations of DKD animal models, in order to update relevant model information and provide insights and references for generating or selecting the appropriate animal models to fit different experimental needs.

Morphometric changes and AQP2 expression in kidneys of young male rats exposed to chronic stress and a high-sucrose diet

OBJECTIVE

Consumption of a cafeteria-like diet and chronic stress have a negative impact on kidney function and morphology in adult rats. However, the interaction between chronic restraint stress and high-sucrose diet on renal morphology in young rats is unknown. A high-sucrose diet does not modify serum glucose levels but reduces serum corticosterone levels in stressed young rats, in this way it is confusing a possible potentiate or protector effect of this diet on kidney damage induced by stress.

METHODS

Wistar male rats at 4 weeks of age were randomly assigned into 4 groups: control (C), stressed (St), high-sucrose diet (S30), and chronic restraint stress plus a 30% sucrose diet (St + S30). Rats were fed with a standard chow and tap water (C group) or 30% sucrose diluted in water (S30 group). Chronic restraint stress consisted of 1-h daily placement into a plastic cylinder, 5 days per week, and for 4 weeks.

RESULTS

Stressed rats exhibited a low number of corpuscles, glomeruli, high number of mesangial cells, major deposition of mesangial matrix and aquaporin-2 protein (AQP-2) expression, and low creatinine levels. Meanwhile, high-sucrose diet ameliorated AQP-2 expression and avoided the reduction of creatinine levels induced by chronic stress. The combination of stress and high-sucrose diet maintained similar effects on the kidney as stress alone, although it induced a greater reduction in the area of proximal tubules.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that both chronic stress and a high-sucrose diet induce histological changes, but chronic stress may generate an accelerated glomerular hypertrophy associated with functional changes before puberty.