Figure 9.

In vivo AGE and α-SMA staining in the tubules of chronically diabetic rats. Kidney sections from SD rats, control, 32-week diabetic, and 32-week diabetic that received the AGE–cross-link breaker, ALT 711 (n = 5 each group), were stained for AGE and separately for α-SMA. Representative pictures of AGE staining in (a) control, (b) diabetic, and (c) diabetic animals that received ALT 711. (d and e) α-SMA staining. In control animals α-SMA staining was limited to vascular smooth muscle cells (d). Diabetes was associated with an increase in tubular α-SMA staining (e) (arrowheads) that was ameliorated in diabetic animals receiving ALT 711 (f). P < 0.05, magnification for all ×400.