Basic Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2020.
World J Diabetes. Dec 15, 2020; 11(12): 596-610
Published online Dec 15, 2020. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v11.i12.596
Table 1 Body weight and fat mass in db/db and db/+ mice
ParameterAge in wkGroup
Non-diabetic db/+ mice (n = 9)db/db diabetic mice
Vehicle (n = 10)
EMPA (n = 9)
Body weight (g)826.8 (25.0-31.1)37.1 (32.1–41.6)b37.4 (28.5–41.5)b
1226.2 (23.5–28.2)37.5 (35.8–40.5)b46.2 (38.8–53.0)b,c
1624.8 (21.6–27.7)e37.8 (34.3–40.4)b52.6 (42.5–62.2)b,c,f
Fat mass (g)83.1 (1.9–4.1)18.3 (16.2–22.5)a18.4 (13.5–20.6)b
122.7 (1.9–3.3)19.5 (17.0–22.7)b25.3 (21.7–30.9)b,c
162.7 (2.1–4.5)19.6 (17.4–22.7)b28.0 (22.2–35.3)a,d,e
Fat mass (%)811.4 (8.5–16.1)50.6 (46.6–55.3)b49.3 (46.8–50.0)b
1210.7 (8.1–12.4)52.5 (45.2–57.0)b55.5 (51.5–58.3)b
1611.7 (7.6–13.2)55.0 (42.5–62.8)b53.4 (49.1–56.7)b
Table 2 Plasma biochemistry in db/+ and db/db mice
ParameterAge in wkGroup
Non-diabetic db/+ mice (n = 9)Diabetic db/db mice
Vehicle (n = 10)
EMPA (n = 9)
Glucose (mmoL/L)89.50 (5.10–11.4)28.5 (16.8–40.1)b23.1 (15.3–35.4)b
129.20 (6.10–9.50)30.4 (22.7–48.0)b16.3 (13.6–20.7)b,d,e
169.50 (8.50–12.2)32.7 (22.5–53.1)b16.1 (9.9–23.6)b,d,e
Fructosamine (µmoL/L)8237 (217–249)456 (424–511)b480 (425–579)b
16239 (222–296)622 (524–672)b,f468 (341–491)b,c,e
Glycated albumin (µmoL/L)8107 (103–127)227 (206–239)b235 (217–261)b
16117 (109–133)283 (252–349)b,f210 (166–245)b,c,e
Total cholesterol (mmoL/L)82.76 (1.80–3.96)2.72 (1.48–4.86)2.76 (1.60–4.05)
162.37 (1.98–2.97)3.57 (1.68–4.86)e4.05 (2.10–5.22)e
HDL-cholesterol (mmoL/L)81.17 (0.50–1.62)1.20 (0.51–2.01)1.40 (0.93–1.89)
161.26 (0.45–1.80)1.50 (0.48–2.19)2.31 (1.05–2.88)e
LDL-cholesterol (mmoL/L)81.32 (0.81–2.10)1.02 (0.84–2.72)1.07 (0.84–2.60)
160.81(0.75–1.11)f0.81 (0.72–1.14)1.05 (0.60–1.41)
Triglycerides (mmoL/L) 81.74 (0.90–2.70)1.14 (0.51–2.30)1.25 (0.87–2.30)
161.35 (0.81–2.58)1.79 (1.17–3.54)e1.77 (1.29–3.87)e
Creatinine (µmoL/L)867.0 (47.0–78.0)76.4 (70.2–84.2)70.5 (54.0–82.2)
1268.6 (48.5–74.5)76.5 (64.5–100.5)a74.7 (46.2–85.8)a
1661.8 (54.0–71.7)75.6 (63.9–89.4)a81.3 (55.8–91.2)a
Uric acid (µmoL/L)8273 (104–420)173 (143–341)281 (165–507)
16235 (159–271)170 (143–187)204 (179-242)
Table 3 Plasma levels of leptin and insulin in db/+ and db/db mice
HormoneAge in wkGroup
Non-diabetic db/+ mice (n = 9)Diabetic db/db mice
Vehicle (n = 10)
EMPA (n = 9)
Leptin (ng/mL)83.3 (1.4–6.54)97.1 (53.2–114.4)b93.4 (80.8–133.1)b
163.8 (1.5–6.3)90.0 (21.2–151.4)b136.4 (53.0–171.2)b,c,d
Insulin (ng/mL)85.6 (3.4–18.0)25.6 (11.5–45.2)b21.2 (10.8–40.8)b
1610.0 (2.1–22.2)22.1 (9.8–33.2)a20.8 (6.0–56.7)a
Glucagon (ng/mL)8370 (250–2670)660 (190–2760)450 (290–2180)
16370 (150–2120)605 (260–2960)390 (240–860)
Table 4 Renal structural parameters in db/+ and db/db mice
ParameterGroup
Non-diabetic db/+ mice (n = 9)Diabetic db/db mice
Vehicle (n = 10)
EMPA (n = 9)
Mesangium, fractional volume (%)14.4 (9.8–18.5)38.6 (34.5–42.7)a25.5 (20.4–35.8)d
Capillaries, fractional volume (%)31.3 (28.9–38.7)34.6 (30.9–36.1)33.3 (29.5–37.0)
GBM, mean width (nm)135 (116–157)163 (135–203)a139 (116–225)b
Podocyte FPs, mean width (nm)220 (191–242)372 (299–426)a203 (162–317)c
Podocyte FPs (NA, nm–1)3.39 (3.00–3.79)2.73 (1.92–3.51)a3.31 (2.32–4.18)b
Table 5 The relationships of glycemic control indicators, plasma creatinine and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio with renal structural parameters
Parameter
Fructosamine
Glycated albumin
Plasma creatinine
UACR
Mesangial volume, VVr = 0.69r = 0.67r = 0.57r =0.81
P = 0.0002P = 0.0004P = 0.004P = 0.000002
Capillary volume, VVr = 0.13r = 0.11r = 0.30r = 0.05
P > 0.05P > 0.05P > 0.05P > 0.05
GBM widthr = 0.69r = 0.69r = 0.21r = 0.53
P = 0.0008P = 0.007P > 0.05P = 0.02
Podocyte FPs, widthr = 0.62r = 0.63r = –0.15r = 0.50
P = 0.003P = 0.003P > 0.05P = 0.03
Podocyte FPs, NAr = –0.57r = -0.58r = 0.04r = –0.25
P = 0.008P = 0.007P > 0.05P > 0.05
Nephrin-positive areas in glomeruli, VVr = –0.68r = –0.65r = –0.51r = –0.76
P = 0.006P = 0.009P = 0.04P = 0.001
TGF-β positive areas in glomeruli, VVr = 0.65r = 0.65r = 0.09r = 0.67
P = 0.003P = 0.002P >0.05P = 0.001