Superoxide overproduction and kidney fibrosis: a new animal model.

Objective: To establish whether the mutation in the Immp2L gene induces renal fibrosis and whether aging exacerbates renal morphology in mice.

Methods: Female mutant mice with mutation in the inner mitochondrial membrane peptidase 2-like protein at 3 and 18 months of age were used. Renal fibrosis was analyzed using classic fibrosis score, Masson's trichrome staining, and analysis of profibrotic markers using real time polymerase chain reaction (superoxide dismutase 1, metalloproteinase-9, erythropoietin, transforming growth factor beta), and immunostaining (fibroblasts and Type IV collagen).