Preparation and renoprotective effects of carboxymethyl chitosan oligosaccharide on adriamycin nephropathy

Carboxymethyl chitosan oligosaccharide (CMCOS), the hydrolytic product of carboxymethyl chitosan, is nontoxic, easily absorbable and good antioxidant. In this study, CMCOS was prepared and its properties in adriamycin nephropathy therapy were investigated. Our results showed that CMCOS had good curative effects on renal function and parenchymal injury induced by adriamycin. CMCOS administration significantly relieved symptoms of proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, renal hyperplasia and histological lesions in rats (P < 0.01). Further exploration for the underlying mechanisms indicated that CMCOS treatment reduced macrophage accumulation, myofibroblast transdifferentiation and podocyte apoptosis. CMCOS treatment could regulate secretions of cytokines (IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha and TGF-beta 1) and improve activities of antioxidative enzymes (SOD, GSH-Px) (P < 0.01). In conclusion, therapeutic effects of CMCOS on renal injury mediated by inflammation, fibrosis and oxidative stress made it a good kidney health product and a promising candidate in clinical treatment of human chronic kidney disease.