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Planta Med 2014; 80(01): 39-47
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1360127
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers

Betaine Reduces Serum Uric Acid Levels and Improves Kidney Function in Hyperuricemic Mice

Yang-Liu Liu
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Ying Pan
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Xing Wang
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Chen-Yu Fan
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Qin Zhu
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Jian-Mei Li
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Shui-Juan Wang
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Ling-Dong Kong
The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, University of Nanjing, Nanjing, P. R. China
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Correction: Betaine Reduces Serum Uric Acid Levels and Improves Kidney Function in Hyperuricemic MicePlanta Med 2014; 80(01): E4-E4
DOI: 10.1055/a-1660-7728

Abstract

Betaine as a dietary alkaloid has attracted the attention of patients with kidney diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effects of betaine on serum uric acid levels and kidney function, and explore their underlying mechanisms in potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemic mice. Betaine at 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg was orally administered to hyperuricemic mice for 7 days and found to significantly reduce serum uric acid levels and increase fractional excretion of uric acid in hyperuricemic mice in a dose-dependent manner. It effectively restored renal protein level alterations of urate transport-related molecular proteins urate transporter 1, glucose transporter 9, organic anion transporter 1, and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 in this model, possibly resulting in the enhancement of kidney urate excretion. Moreover, betaine reduced serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and affected urinary levels of beta-2-microglobulin and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase as well as upregulated renal protein levels of organic cation/carnitine transporters OCT1, OCTN1, and OCTN2, resulting in kidney function improvement in hyperuricemic mice. The findings from this study provide evidence that betaine has anti-hyperuricemic and nephroprotective actions by regulating protein levels of these renal organic ion transporters in hyperuricemic mice.

Key words

betaine - hyperuricemic mice - renal function - renal organic ion transporters


Publication History

Received: 28 May 2013

Accepted after revision: 08 November 2013

Article published online:
11 December 2013

© 2013. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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