Role of Klotho and AGE/RAGE-Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling Pathway on the Development of Cardiac and Renal Fibrosis in Diabetes

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 24; no. 6; p. 5241
• Main Authors: Martín-Carro, Beatriz, Martín-Vírgala, Julia, Fernández-Villabrille, Sara, Fernández-Fernández, Alejandra, Pérez-Basterrechea, Marcos, Navarro-González, Juan F, Donate-Correa, Javier, Mora-Fernández, Carmen, Dusso, Adriana S, Carrillo-López, Natalia, Panizo, Sara, Naves-Díaz, Manuel, Fernández-Martín, José L, Cannata-Andía, Jorge B, Alonso-Montes, Cristina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.03.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Advanced glycosylation end products; AGEs; Animals; beta Catenin; Biochemical markers; Blood glucose; Collagen; Creatinine; Development and progression; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes mellitus (insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; Fibronectin; Fibrosis; Gene expression; Glucose; Glycation End Products, Advanced; Glycosylation; Heart; Hypertrophy; Insulin; Kidney Diseases; Kidneys; Klotho protein; Pathogenesis; Polyuria; Proteins; Rats; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; Renal function; Scientific equipment and supplies industry; Signal transduction; sKlotho; sRAGE; Streptozocin; T1DM; Transforming growth factor-b1; Transforming growth factors; Type 1 diabetes; Urine; Wnt protein; β-Catenin; Canada; United States; Massachusetts; Spain; T1DM; kidney; Wnt/β-catenin; AGEs; fibrosis; sRAGE; diabetes; heart; sKlotho
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065241

Fibrosis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of long-term diabetic complications and contributes to the development of cardiac and renal dysfunction. The aim of this experimental study, performed in a long-term rat model, which resembles type 1 diabetes mellitus, was to investigate the role of soluble Klotho (sKlotho), advanced glycation end products (AGEs)/receptor for AGEs (RAGE), fibrotic Wnt/β-catenin pathway, and pro-fibrotic pathways in kidney and heart. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin. Glycaemia was maintained by insulin administration for 24 weeks. Serum and urine sKlotho, AGEs, soluble RAGE (sRAGE) and biochemical markers were studied. The levels of Klotho, RAGEs, ADAM10, markers of fibrosis (collagen deposition, fibronectin, TGF-β1, and Wnt/β-catenin pathway), hypertrophy of the kidney and/or heart were analysed. At the end of study, diabetic rats showed higher levels of urinary sKlotho, AGEs and sRAGE and lower serum sKlotho compared with controls without differences in the renal Klotho expression. A significant positive correlation was found between urinary sKlotho and AGEs and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (uACR). Fibrosis and RAGE levels were significantly higher in the heart without differences in the kidney of diabetic rats compared to controls. The results also suggest the increase in sKlotho and sRAGE excretion may be due to polyuria in the diabetic rats.