<b>EFFECTS OF PROTEIN CONVERTASE SUBTILISIN KEXIN-9 ON RENAL FUNCTION FOLLOWING STREPTOZOTOCIN NICOTINAMIDE INDUCTION IN DIABETIC RATS</b>

BACKGROUND: Association between plasma PCSK9 concentration and diabetes has been investigated in several epidemiological studies and it was established that plasma levels of PCSK9 are significantly higher in diabetic patients than non-diabetic individuals. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of PCSK-9 on the function of the kidney in STZ induced diabetic rats. METHODOLOGY: A total of 20 adult male Wistar rats with an average weight of 200 kg were used in this study. This experiment was carried out in the animal house, which is located in the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin. They were kept under a normal room temperature. They were randomly grouped into four groups containing five animals in each. The 4 groups of rats were subjected to the following oral treatments once a day for 8 weeks: Group 1: Control, received 1 ml of distilled water, Group 2: Diabetes only, received 0.5ml of normal saline, Group 3: Metformin, each received 0.5ml of Metformin, Group 4: Diabetes + Metformin, each received 0.5ml 0f metformin, They were fed daily with pelletized growers feed from Ogooluwa and aqua feed enterprise, Kwara State, Ilorin, The body weight changes, blood glucose levels, histological and biochemical were investigated RESULTS: The level of kidney marker enzymes was found to b(p˂0.05) increase in the presence of diabetes. The levels of AST and ALT b(p˂0.05) increased drastically indicating renal damage in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats, with b(p˂0.05) increased levels of GPx and GSH. a(p˂0.05) Increase concentration of MDA was found in the diabetic control group compared with diabetic group treated with metformin. The injection metformin caused a significant reduction in the levels of most of the biomarkers in treated diabetic groups and maintained a level directly equal or close to that observed in the controls groups showing the protective effect of metformin. Therefore, it is possible to suggest that metformin is safe and might confer a protection against diabetes. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, from the histological and biochemical findings in the present study, metformin has ameliorative effect on kidney dysfunction indicating the protective effect of metformin on the kidney.