Abstract: AIM: To observe the expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) in renal interstitium of two-kidney one-clip hypertensive rats and the relationship between CTGF and renal damage, and to investigate the influnece of rosiglitazone on the expression of CTGF in renal interstitium and the mechanisms of renal protection of rosiglitation. METHODS: Twokidney one-clip hypertensive rats were divided randomly into the positive control group(group B) and the rosiglitazone therapy group(group C), sham operated group were fed as the negative control group(group A).The changes of blood pressure were monitored in each stage of experiment of all groups.The urine β2-MG, blood urea nitrogen (Bun) and serum creatinine (Cr) were detected, the expression of CTGF in the nephridial tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry, the pathological changes and the degree of renal interstitial fibrosis respectively were judged. RESULTS: Compared with group A the contents of β2-MG were markedly increased in group B and C(P<0.01) before the treatment, there was no significant difference between group B and C (P >0.05).Compared with group B, the contents of β2-MG in group C were decreased significantly(P<0.05) after the treatment.The expressions of CTGF in group B and C were significantly increased compared with A (P<0.01), the expressions of CTGF were decreased in group C (P<0.05) compared with group B.There was a significant positive correlation between the expressions of CTGF, the contents of β2-MG and the scores of renal interstitium fibrosis (r = 0.734, P<0.01 ;r =0.777, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Rosiglitazone can delay the development of renal interstitial fibrosis by reducing blood pressure and albuminuria, and downregulating the expressions of CTGF in renal interstism so it educes kidney protection.

Key words: two-kidney one-clip hypertensive rats, rosiglitazone, renal interstitial fibrosis, connective tissue growth factor