Fig. 2. Effects of podocyte Rac1 deficiency on glomeruli at
 12 weeks.

a, b At 12 weeks, staining of podocyte-specific markers p-cadherin and ZO-1 markedly decreased in WT mice; Rac1 deletion partially restored the expression of both proteins. Values denote the mean ± s.d.; ^*P < 0.01 vs. CTL, ^#P < 0.05 vs. WT-STZ. Scale bar = 100 μm. c At this time point, desmin expression was strongly stained in glomerular podocytes and parietal epithelial cells in WT diabetic mice, which was prohibited in TG-STZ mice. Values denote the mean ± s.d.; ^*P < 0.01 vs. CTL, ^#P < 0.01 vs. WT-STZ. Scale bar = 100 μm. d At 8 and 12 weeks, mmp-9 expression was positively stained in mesangial cells and podocytes in WT-STZ mice, which was decreased in diabetic TG mice. Values denote the mean ± s.d.; ^*P < 0.01 vs. CTL, ^#P < 0.01 vs. WT-STZ. Scale bar = 100 μm. e Podocyte effacement on TEM. Podocyte FPs were found extensively effaced in WT-STZ mice, but were markedly rescued in TG-STZ counterparts. Scale bar = 1 μm. f De novo expression of a fibroblastic hallmark FSP-1. In CTL glomeruli, FSP-1 was negatively stained in glomerular podocytes; 12 weeks of diabetes led to de novo expression of FSP-1, which was partially diminished in TG-STZ glomeruli. Values denote the mean ± s.d.; ^*P < 0.01 vs. CTL, ^#P < 0.01 vs. WT-STZ. Scale bar = 100 μm. g Mesangial and glomerular area by PAS staining. At 6 weeks, PAS staining showed mesangial areas were mildly expanded, with swelled endothelial cells and capillaries stenosis, in WT-STZ mice (left) and at 12 weeks, there occurred moderately mesangial proliferation and matrix accumulation, capillaries stenosis and parietal endothelial proliferation, indicative of advanced renal injury (right); these mutations were attenuated in TG diabetic mice at either time points. Values denote the mean ± s.d.; ^*P < 0.01 vs. CTL, ^#P < 0.01 vs. WT-STZ. Scale bar = 100 μm. h Podocyte numbers were determined by WT staining at 12 weeks. The graph showed no remarkable significance was calculated among four groups. Values denote the mean ± s.d.; P > 0.05 vs. CTL. Scale bar = 100 μm. AU arbitrary units, TG transgenic, WT wild type, CTL control