Emiko Manabe, Osamu Handa, Yuji Naito, Katsura Mizushima, Satomi Akagiri, Satoko Adachi, Tomohisa Takagi, Satoshi Kokura, Takashi Maoka, Toshikazu Yoshikawa
Astaxanthin (ASX) is a carotenoid that has potent protective effects on diabetic nephropathy in mice model of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we investigated the protective mechanism of ASX on the progression of diabetic nephropathy using an in vitro model of hyperglycemia, focusing on mesangial cells. Normal human mesangial cells (NHMCs) were cultured in the medium containing normal (5 mM) or high (25 mM) concentrations of D-glucose. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the activation of nuclear transcription factors such as nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), and the expression/production of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGFbeta(1)) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were evaluated in the presence or absence of ASX...
April 15, 2008: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry