FIGURE 1.
The DN prevention in GK rats by VHH-0031. Rats were injected with saline, metformin (500 mg kg−1), VHH-0031 (0.1 or 0.5 mg kg−1) for 7 weeks, and then killed for study (A) Blood glucose level, (B) Body weight change (C) The ratio of kidney weight to body weight (D) The level of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine in the serum by experimental kit (E) The level of IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum by ELISA (F) Evaluation of mesangial expansion, mesangial metrix caused by glycogen stimulation and glomerulosclerosis caused by collagen deposition in the kidney by H&E, PAS, Masson staining, Bar = 100 μm. The black arrow points to glomerular mesangial hyperplasia, the green arrow points to renal tubule congestion and edema. Quantification analysis of mesangial matrix index by PAS staining (G) and glomerulosclerosis by Masson’s trichrome staining (H) in kidneys. Control: Wistar rats, Model: GK rats, Metformin: GK rats treated with metformin 500 mg kg−1, VHH-0031 0.1 and 0.5 mg kg−1: GK rats treated with the recombinant anti-IL-6R fusion proteins (0.1 and 0.5 mg kg−1). Data represents the mean ± SD for six rats per group. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vs control group. # p < 0.05, ## p < 0.01, ### p < 0.001 vs model group.