THE EFFECT OF MACROPHAGE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR (M-CSF) ON THE PROGRESSION OF LIPID-INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY IN DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

In order to elucidate the role of macrophage in lipid-induced nephroto xicity in diabetic nephropathy, we examined the effect of macrophage c olony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on the progression of renal lesions i n hypercholesterolemic steptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats fed with high cholesterol chow. Hypercholesterolemia aggravated albuminuria in diab etic rats accompanied by infiltration of macrophages in glomeruli. Tre atment with M-CSF suppressed simultaneously infiltration of glomerular macrophages and urinary albumin excretion in hypercholesterolemic dia betic rats. These results suggest that infiltration of glomerular macr ophage has a primary role in lipid-induced nephrotoxicity in diabetic nephropathy, and M-CSF is involved in this process as a preventive fac tor.