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Medical AI Inquiry: You was designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.  Labels: OBJECTIVE, METHODS, RESULTS. Meshes: Animals, C-Peptide, Cytoprotection, Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental, Glomerular Filtration Rate, Hypertrophy, Insulin, Kidney, Male, Microvessels, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Streptozocin.
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Does c-peptide preserve the renal microvascular architecture in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat? Context: C-peptide is renoprotective in type 1 diabetes, however, the mechanisms of its actions are not completely understood. We hypothesized that C-peptide attenuates diabetes-associated renal microvascular injury. After 4 or 8weeks of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes, rats received either vehicle or C-peptide in the presence of low or high doses of insulin. Urine albumin excretion (UAE) was measured prior to initiation of treatment (baseline) and 2 or 4weeks after treatment (sacrifice). Glomerular hypertrophy, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal microvascular density, quantified ex vivo by 3D micro-CT reconstruction, were measured at sacrifice. In rats receiving low doses of insulin, treatment with C-peptide reduced HbA1c levels by 24%. In these rats, the 107% increase in UAE rate from baseline to sacrifice in vehicle-treated rats was largely prevented with C-peptide. C-peptide also reduced diabetes-associated glomerular hyperfiltration by 30%, glomerular hypertrophy by 22% and increased the density of microvessels between 0 and 500μm in diameter by an average of 31% compared with vehicle-treated groups. Similar renoprotective effects of C-peptide were observed in rats treated with higher doses of daily insulin, despite no differences in HbA1c levels.
assistant
The study suggests that C-peptide is renoprotective by preserving the integrity of the renal microvasculature irrespective of glucose regulation. Final Decision: yes