BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the effects of
resveratrol on kidney function in a rat model of
uremia and the expression of
heat shock proteins. MATERIAL AND METHODS The rat model of
uremia was developed by 5/6
nephrectomy of Sprague-Dawley rats. The Hsp70 inhibitor
MKT-077, a
rhodacyanine dye, was used. The study groups included rats with
sham surgery (the
sham group), the rat model of
uremia (the model group), the
solvent-treated control group (the control group), the rat model treated with
resveratrol group (the
resveratrol group), the rat model treated with
MKT-077 (the
MKT-077 group), and the resveratrol+MKT-077 group. Kidney tissues were studied histologically. Renal cell apoptosis was detected by the TUNEL method. Expression of p53, Bax, and Bcl-2
mRNA and
protein were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS Compared with the
sham group, the expression levels of
heat shock proteins Hsp70, Hsp90, Hsp27, Hsp25, Hsp40, and Hsp60 in the kidney of the rat model group increased to different degrees. Compared with the model group, the Hsp70 levels in the
resveratrol group were significantly increased (p<0.05). Compared with the model group, treatment with
MKT-077 reduced the survival rate of rats, which was increased following
resveratrol treatment. Compared with the
resveratrol group, renal function in the resveratrol+MKT-077 group was significantly reduced (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In a rat model of
uremia,
resveratrol reduced renal injury and improved both renal function and survival, which were associated with increased expression of Hsp70.