Abstract: AIM: To investigate the protection mechanisms of rosiglitazone on diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: Rat mesangial cells(MC) were incubated in media containing 5.5 mmol/L normal control glu-cose, 25 mmol/L high concentration glucose, 25 mmol/L glucose +20 μmol/L rosiglitazone maleate. Cells proliferation were assessed by CCK-8.Synthesis of fibronectin (FN) , type Ⅳ collagen (Col-Ⅳ) , transforming growth factor-β₁ (TGF-β₁ ) and matrix met-alloproteinase inhibitor-1(TIMP-1) in supernatant were determined by ELISA method, the activities of matrix metalloproteinase-2, 9 (MMP-2, 9) in supernatant were determined by gelatinase zymography .RESULTS: Compared with control group, MC cultured with high concentration glucose showed a high growth rate and in-creased synthesis of Col-Ⅳand FN, decreased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and increased secretion of TGF-β₁ and TIMP-1.Compared with high glucose group, these changes could be reversed by rosiglitazone intervention .CONCLUSION: Rosiglitazone could in-hibit high concentration glucose-induced proliferation of mesangial cells, decrease synthesis of extracellular matrix, and increase degradation of extracellular matrix.

Key words: diabetic nephropathy, rosiglitazone, mesangial cells