[Effects of alpha-keto acid on the expression of neuropeptide Y in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure].

Objective To investigate the effects of α-keto acid on the expression of neuropeptide Y in malnutrition rats with chronic renal failure.Methods SD rats received 5/6 nephrectomy and were fed with 4% casein to establish models of malnutrition with chronic renal failure.Serum albumin,urea nitrogen,serum creatinine,type-1 insulin like growth factor and body weight of the rats were measured.The rat models were randomized into chronic renal failure group,α-keto acid group and normal control group,and after a 4-week treatment as indicated,neuropeptide Y mRNA levels in the hypothalamus were measured by RT-PCR in rats with surgically induced renal failure(two-stage subtotal nephrectomy).The blood neuropeptide Y of the rats were analyzed by radioimmunoassay.Results Malnutrition occurred in chronic renal failure rats at the end of 10 weeks.Compared with those in the chronic renal failure group,the plasma neuropeptide Y concentrations in α-keto acid group were significantly lowered with substantially elevated neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus.Conclusion α-keto acid capsule can improve malnutrition in rats with renal insufficiency possibly by up-regulating neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and reducing the level of blood neuropeptide Y.