Abstract:
As a result of various animal experiments it could be shown that the dopaminergic system contributes to the regulation of renal hemodynamic and the tubular function. Glomerular hyperfiltration, which arises at the beginning of diabetes mellitus, indicates a risk factor for the progression of diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we analyzed the influence of the dopamine D3 receptor on the glomerular hyperfiltration, the renal sodium excretion and additionally on the blood pressure in mice. These mice suffer from diabetes mellitus caused by a single injection of streptozotocin (120 mg/kg, i.p.).
Therefore, tail cuff blood pressure measurements were carried out as well as metabolic cage experiments on conscious dopamine D3 receptor knockout mice and the corresponding wild-type animals, which have functionally active dopamine D3 receptors. In clearance experiments, the glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow rate and renal sodium excretion in anesthetized animals were studied. The experiments were carried out with non-diabetic, non-treated and insulin treated mice after a predefined schedule of 14-17 days after the induction of diabetes mellitus.
Systolic blood pressure was, independent of the diabetic metabolic state, similar in all experimental groups. D3 knockout mice did not show any significant differences compared to wild-type animals. In metabolic cage experiments, however, non-treated diabetic mice showed a significant polyphagia, polydipsia, polyuria and glucosuria when compared to non-diabetic mice. Insulin treated diabetic mice were in a similar normoglycemic metabolic state like non-diabetic animals. The comparison of dopamine D3 receptor knockout mice with wild-type animals in the various test groups didn?t show any significant differences regarding parameters examined in the metabolic cages. In the clearance experiments, a typical diabetes-induced glomerular hyperfiltration and an increase in renal sodium excretion occurred in non-treated diabetic mice. Interestingly, the glomerular hyperfiltration as well as the increased sodium excretion could be eliminated by the application of insulin. The absence of dopamine D3 receptors did not cause any inhibition of the glomerular hyperfiltration of knockout mice.
In this study, it could be shown that diabetic mice develop glomerular hyperfiltration which is mainly caused by hyperglycemia. As a result, it seems that in this mouse model the dopamine D3 receptor is not involved in the pathological hyperfiltration of the early phase of diabetes mellitus. Additionally, under these conditions, no influence of the D3 receptor on the regulation of blood pressure was observed. Further experiments over a period of several months should verify whether any significant long-term effects of the influence of dopamine D3 receptors on the progression of diabetic nephropathy exist.