Animal models of spontaneous diabetic kidney disease

Abstract

Kidney disease, characterized by proteinuria and glomerular lesions, is a common complication of spontaneous diabetes mellitus in many animal species. It occurs in animals with hypoinsulinemia, hyperinsulinemia, or impaired glucose tolerance. The renal functional and structural abnormalities in spontaneously diabetic animals resemble human diabetic nephropathy in many respects. Mesangial expansion and glomerular basement membrane thickening, two structural hallmarks of diabetic glomerulopathy in humans, are the most frequently encountered lesions in animals. In addition, a nodular form of mesangial expansion that resembles but is not identical with human nodular glomerulosclerosis or the Kimmelstiel-Wilson lesion has been observed in some animal models. Other abnormalities, such as exudative hyaline lesions and arteriolar hyalinosis, have also been noted occasionally in other models. Although diabetic animals may develop kidney disease that resembles human diabetic nephropathy, no single animal model develops renal changes identical to those seen in humans. Nonetheless, animal models with spontaneous diabetic kidney disease may be useful for investigating the mechanisms of development of diabetic nephropathy and the effects of various treatment modalities on the progression of renal disease.

Significant glomerular basement membrane thickening in hyperglycemic and normoglycemic diabetic‐prone BB Wistar rats

“…Accordingly, reduction of AS density in GBMs is widely regarded as contributory to diabetic proteinuria. However, since only modest levels of urine protein have been reported for moderately hyperglycemic BB rats (Cohen et al, 1987;Velasquez et al, 1990;Zamlauski-Tucker et al, 1992;Feld et al, 1995), it seems possible that maintenance of normal complements of AS as shown in the current investigation may be related functionally to known relatively low levels of proteinuria in diabetic BB rats.…”

“…increased MM is considered a hallmark for diabetes in human and some animal models (Velasquez et al, 1990;Viberti et al, 1994). However, mesangial expansion in moderately hyperglycemic BB rats generally is reportedly unremarkable or absent (Brown et al, 1983;Cohen et al, 1987).…”

Advanced Glycation End Products Increase Collagen-specific Chaperone Protein in Mouse Diabetic Nephropathy

“…Most experimental models of diabetic nephropathy are different from human pathological lesions (10,30). On the other hand, the iNOSTg mice showed remarkably advanced glomerular lesions that resemble human diabetic glomerulosclerosis.…”

Animal Models as Tools for Translational Research: Focus on Atherosclerosis, Metabolic Syndrome and Type-II Diabetes Mellitus

“…Spiny mouse (Acomys calirinus) is another small rodent living in semiarid areas of eastern Mediterranean. They gain weight and exhibit marked impaired pancreatic beta cell when they are placed in captivity on high energy rodent lab chow [135]. Ctenomis talarum (Tuco-tuco) is another feral species which exhibit similar characteristic features of sand rat and spiny mice when fed on high energy rodent diet [136].…”