Protective effect of C-peptide on experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy and the possible link between C-peptide and nitric oxide

Diabetic nephropathy one of the major microvascular diabetic complications. Besides hyperglycemia, other factors contribute to the development of diabetic complications as the proinsulin connecting peptide, C-peptide. We described the role of C-peptide replacement therapy on experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy, and its potential mechanisms of action by studying the role of Nitric oxide (NO) as a mediator of C-peptide effects by in vivo modulating its production by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Renal injury markers measured were serum urea, creatinine, TNF-α and Angiotensin II and renal tissue malondialdehyde, total antioxidant, Bcl-2 and NO. Conclusion, diabetic induction resulted in islet degenerations and decreased insulin secretion with its metabolic consequences, and subsequent renal complications. C-peptide deficiencies in diabetes might contributed to the metabolic and renal error, since C-peptide treatment to the diabetic rats corrected completely these errors. The beneficial e...