Protective effects of rutin on rat glomerular mesangial cells cultured in high glucose conditions

The protective effect of rutin on the glomerulosclerosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in rat mesangial cells was investigated. The cultured mesangial cells were divided into eight groups: normal, solvent control, high glucose, low dose of rutin, moderate dose of rutin, high dose of rutin, captopril and Ginkgo biloba extract. The cell cycles, type IV collagen and laminin in cytoplasm, TGF‐β₁ mRNA of mesangial cells, Smad 2/3 and Smad 7, and the activities of four antioxidant indexes including T‐SOD, MDA, CAT and GSH‐Px were measured by flow cytometry, radioimmunoassay, RT‐PCR, western blotting and visible spectrophotometry, respectively. Compared with the high glucose group, rutin decreased the cell percentages of the G₀/G₁ phase and inhibited the expression of Smad 2/3, laminin and type IV collagen, and TGF‐β₁ mRNA level, significantly. The antioxidant capacity, the cell percentages of S phase and Smad 7 expression were significantly increased by rutin. These results suggest that rutin is a potent protective agent against glomerulosclerosis in DN. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.