Lithium reduces blood glucose levels, but aggravates albuminuria in BTBR-ob/ob mice.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-15-2017

JAX Source

PLoS One 2017 Dec 15; 12(12):e0189485.

Volume

12

Issue

12

First Page

0189485

Last Page

0189485

ISSN

1932-6203

PMID

29244860

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189485

Abstract

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) plays an important role in the development of diabetes mellitus and renal injury. GSK3 inhibition increases glucose uptake in insulin-insensitive muscle and adipose tissue, while it reduces albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis in acute kidney injury. The effect of chronic GSK3 inhibition in diabetic nephropathy is not known. We tested the effect of lithium, the only clinical GSK3 inhibitor, on the development of diabetes mellitus and kidney injury in a mouse model of diabetic nephropathy. Twelve-week old female BTBR-ob/ob mice were treated for 12 weeks with 0, 10 and 40 mmol LiCl/kg after which the development of diabetes and diabetic nephropathy were analysed. In comparison to BTBR-WT mice, ob/ob mice demonstrated elevated bodyweight, increased blood glucose/insulin levels, urinary albumin and immunoglobulin G levels, glomerulosclerosis, reduced nephrin abundance and a damaged proximal tubule brush border. The lithium-10 and -40 diets did not affect body weight and resulted in blood lithium levels of respectively PLoS One 2017 Dec 15; 12(12):e0189485.

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS