Abstract: 【Abstract】 Objective To explore the role of adiponectin in early diabetic nephropathy. Methods Rat model of diabetic nephropathy was established by sucrose and fat-enriched diet and intraperitoneal administration of low-dose streptozotocin (STZ, 30 mg/kg). The model rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: diabetic nephropathy rats without any other treatment (DN group, n=6), diabetic nephropathy rats intraperitoneally injected with the plasmid vector pIRES2-EGFP 200μg twice a week (DP group), and diabetic nephropathy rats intraperitoneally injected with the recombinant plasmid pIRES2-EGFP-gAd 200μg twice a week (DA group). After the treatment for 10 weeks, rats were sacrificed, hydroxyl free radicals and malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in renal tissue were measured, and pathological change in kidney was examined by microscopy. Result The scavenging ability of hydroxyl free radicals was decreased (P＜0.01) and MDA was increased (P＜0.05) in DN group as compared with those of normal controls. The scavenging ability of hydroxyl free radicals was increased (P＜0.05) and MDA was decreased in DA group as compared with those in DN and DP groups (P＜0.05). Conclusion Administration of adiponectin to diabetic nephropathy rats reduces hydroxyl free radicals and MDA in the kidney. Adiponectin inhibits oxidative stress in the kidney, and is useful to prevent the kideny from diabetic nephropathy.

Key words: Adiponectin, Oxidative stress