Research Article

The Iron-Klotho-VDR Axis Is a Major Determinant of Proximal Convoluted Tubule Injury in Haptoglobin 2-2 Genotype Diabetic Nephropathy Patients and Mice

Figure 6

Renal vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in nondiabetic (nonDM) and diabetic (DN) patients. (a) Renal biopsies from Hp 1-1 and 2-2 CKD patients were subjected to IHC of VDR. There was a significant decrease in VDR expression (brown) in the tubules (indicated by arrowheads) and in the glomerulus (indicated by black arrows) of Hp 2-2 DM renal sections compared with Hp 1-1 DM or with nonDM Hp 2-2 renal sections. (b) Quantification of VDR staining shows a significant decrease in the percentage of stained nuclei of Hp 2-2 DM sections compared with DM Hp 1-1 sections () or compared with the nonDM Hp 2-2 genotype ().
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