Carnosine prevents apoptosis of glomerular cells and podocyte loss in STZ diabetic rats.

Background/aims: We identified carnosinase-1 (CN-1) as risk-factor for diabetic nephropathy (DN). Carnosine, the substrate for CN-1, supposedly is a protective factor regarding diabetic complications. In this study, we hypothesized that carnosine administration to diabetic rats might protect the kidneys from glomerular apoptosis and podocyte loss.

Methods: We examined the effect of oral L-carnosine administration (1g/kg BW per day) on apoptosis, podocyte loss, oxidative stress, AGEs and hexosamine pathway in kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats after 3 months of diabetes and treatment.

Results: Hyperglycemia significantly reduced endogenous kidney carnosine levels. In parallel, podocyte numbers significantly decreased (-21% compared to non-diabetics, p<0.05), apoptotic glomerular cells numbers increased (32%, compared to non-diabetic, p<0.05) and protein levels of bax and cytochrome c increased (175% and 117%). Carnosine treatment restored carnosine kidney levels, prevented podocytes loss (+23% compared to diabetic, p<0.05), restrained glomerular apoptosis (-34% compared to diabetic; p<0.05) and reduced expression of bax and cytochrome c (-63% and -54% compared to diabetics, both p<0.05). In kidneys of all diabetic animals, levels of ROS, AGEs and GlcNAc-modified proteins were increased.

Conclusion: By inhibition of pro-apoptotic signaling and independent of biochemical abnormalities, carnosine protects diabetic rat kidneys from apoptosis and podocyte loss.