[Expression and role of integrin-linking kinase in renal tubulointerstitial lesion of aging rats].

Objective To explore the expression and role of integrin-linking kinase(ILK) in aging rats subjected to unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Methods The UUO model and sham-operated rats (SHAM) were established with 3-month-old rats and 26-month-old rats and the rats were sacrificed before UUO and after UUO at 3, 7 and 14 days. Immunofluorescent staining, Western blot, RT-PCR, etc were applied to detect the expressions of ILK and fibronectin(FN) in the renal of UUO rat at each time point. Rusults With the time of UUO, the relative interstitial areas and tubulointerstitial fibrotic areas in 26-month-old rats were significantly higher than those in 3-month-old ones at each time point(P0.01)and the mRNA and protein levels of ILK and FN are increasing with the time of UUO in both groups(P0.01). ILK mRNA semi-quantitative values of 26-month and 3-month rats were 0.98±0.06 vs 0.72±0.06, 3 days after UUO (P0.01), 1.49±0.05 vs 1.03±0.04, 14 days after UUO (P0.01), respectively. ILK proteinsemi-quantitative values of 26-month and 3-month rats were 0.57±0.04 vs 0.52±0.03, 3 days after UUO (P0.01), 0.76±0.04 vs 0.63±0.03, 14 days after UUO (P0.01), respectively. The expressions of ILK mRNA and protein level were positively correlated with the relatively renal interstitial areas (r=0.71, P0.05 and r=0.80,P0.05, respectively).And the whole levels of ILK and FN in 26-month-old rats are higher than those of 3-month-old rats.Conclusion With aging, the expressions of ILK and FN increase progressively in UUO rat,and the over-expression of ILK probably promotes renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and aging.