Effect of Antisense TGF-β1 Oligodeoxynucleotides in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rat Kidney

Abstract

Transforming growth factor (TGF)- 1 is an important fibrogenic factor that is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. We evaluated the effect of circular antisense TGF- 1 oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) on the TGF- 1 expression in the rat mesangial cell culture and in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Circular antisense TGF- 1 ODNs were found to be stable in rat serum, significantly decreasing TGF- 1 mRNA expression compared with linear antisense ODNs in the rat mesangial cell culture. Circular antisense TGF- 1 ODNs were introduced into the tail vein of normal rats using hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ)-liposomemediated gene transfer method and were confirmed to be delivered effectively into the kidney, liver, lungs, and spleen. To inhibit the overexpression of TGF- 1 in diabetic kidneys, we introduced circular antisense TGF- 1 ODNs into the STZ-induced diabetic rats. On day 13 after circular antisense TGF- 1 ODNs injection, TGF- 1 mRNA and protein expression markedly decreased and urinary TGF- 1 excretion rate also dropped in the circular antisense TGF- 1 ODNs-treated diabetic rats. These results suggest that circular antisense TGF- 1 ODNs may be a useful tool for developing new therapeutic application for progressive diabetic nephropathy.