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Abstract
Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease in developed
countries and is related to chronic hyperglycaemia. The increased production and tissue
deposition of advanced glycation end products (AGE) are known to play a major role
in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney damage. This study was undertaken to determine
if lysozyme (LZ), microencapsulated in orally administrable chitosan-coated alginate
microspheres (MS), is effective against the early changes seen in the initial stages
of diabetic nephropathy.
LZ-containing MS (MSLZ) and an equivalent dose (equidose) of nonencapsulated LZ were
given as oral treatments. LZ was administered to Wistar rats for seven weeks after
diabetes induction with streptozotocin.
The results showed that microencapsulated LZ treatment significantly reduced the concentration
of serum AGE in the circulation and their deposition in the kidneys. Likewise, MSLZ
significantly prevented the development of microalbuminuria compared with untreated
diabetic rats. Furthermore, MSLZ significantly prevented the development of glomerular
and renal hypertrophy as well as overexpression of AGE receptors (RAGE). An equidose
of free LZ had little or no effect whatsoever.
Our study supports a relationship between serum AGE and nephropathy in diabetes, and
suggests that orally administered microencapsulated LZ can exert kidney-protective
activity in a diabetic animal model.