Author/Authors :
Aktoz, Tevfik Departments of Urology - Medical Faculty of Trakya University, Edirne , Atakan, İrfan Hüseyin Departments of Urology - Medical Faculty of Trakya University, Edirne , Kanter, Mehmet Department of Histology and Embryology - Faculty of Medicine - Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey , Uz, Yeşim Hülya Department of Histology and Embryology - Faculty of Medicine - Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey , Aktaş, Cevat Department of Histology and Embryology - Faculty of Medicine - Namık Kemal University, Tekirdağ, Turkey
Abstract :
Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the protective effect of quercetine (QE) against cadmium (Cd)-induced renal toxicity. Material and Methods: A total of 24 male Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: control, Cd-treated and Cd-treated with QE; each group containing 8 animals. The Cd-treated group was injected subcutaneously with CdCl2 dissolved in saline in the dose of 2 ml/kg/day for 30 days, resulting in a dosage of 1 mg/kg Cd. The rats in the QE treated groups were given QE (15 mg/kg body weight) once a day intraperitoneally starting 2 days prior to Cd injection during the study period. Results: The renal histology in Cd-treated rats showed mesangial expansion, thickening of capsular basement membranes, glomerular basement mem- branes and tubular basement membranes, characterized by an increase in periodic acid Schiff (PAS)-positive areas as compared with control animals. With the QE treatment, despite the presence of only a few swollen glomeruli, we noticed a marked protection of renal structure when compared with the Cd-treated rats. Furthermore, QE pretreatment resulted in increased proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunoreactivity and decreased the activity of Terminal Transferase dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL). Conclusion: These findings suggest that QE may attenuate Cd-induced renal toxicity.
Keywords :
Cadmium , immunohistochemistry , quercetin , renal toxicity , TUNEL
