# Short-Term: Cellular Metabolism and Gene Expression During the Onset of Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Diabetes Mellitus Experimental Model

## TL;DR

This study examines how diabetes affects gene expression and metabolism in the kidneys and brain of rats over time.

## Contribution

The study identifies temporal gene expression changes and collagen deposition in diabetic rats, linking them to metabolic and disease progression.

## Key findings

- Renal tissues showed decreased Hif-1α and Vegf expression with increased collagen deposition over time.
- Brain tissues exhibited altered gene expression patterns in diabetic rats compared to early-stage groups.
- Metabolic changes in genes and collagen deposition correlate with diabetes progression and secondary diseases.

## Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic disease with a rising global prevalence. Research focuses on understanding its metabolic implications and early signaling of disease onset and complications, particularly the interconnected effects on the kidneys and brain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression profile in the genes Mct1, Mct4, Cd147, Hif-1α and Vegf for different biological matrices in rats induced to diabetes in the determined periods of 7, 21, 30 and 40 days. Methods: Wistar rats (160–180g, n = 68), divided into sham and diabetic groups, were evaluated according to tissue samples from the brain and kidney, using classical biochemical analyses and assessing temporal intergroup differential gene expression by qPCR. Additionally, immunohistochemical analysis was performed on kidney samples to evaluate collagen deposition. In the renal tissues, we observed a decrease in the expression of Hif-1α (21 vs. 30 days) and Vegf (21 vs. 40 days), accompanied by an increase in collagen deposition. In the brain, alterations were observed in all evaluated genes when comparing the early group (7 days) to the later groups (30 and 40 days). We observed that the evaluated genes, as well as the collagen deposition analyzed by immunohistochemistry, are related to metabolic changes that, over time, contribute to the worsening of diabetes and the progression of secondary diseases directly and/or indirectly involving the studied tissues.