Calcitriol's Role in Modulating Gene Expression and Pathways in Diabetic Kidney Disease Fibrosis

This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and the therapeutic effects of calcitriol intervention. A total of 15 six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used, housed under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions with controlled temperature and humidity. The rats were randomly assigned to three groups: a wild-type (WT) control group, a DKD model group, and a DKD + calcitriol treatment group, with five rats per group. DKD was induced by feeding the rats a high-glucose, high-fat diet for eight weeks, followed by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). The DKD + calcitriol group received additional treatment with calcitriol. Successful induction of DKD was confirmed by random blood glucose levels greater than or equal to 16.7 mmol/L. After eight weeks of intervention, kidney tissues were collected from two rats in the DKD group and two rats in the DKD + calcitriol group. The tissues from each group were pooled and subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). This approach aims to identify key genes and potential molecular pathways modulated by active vitamin D intervention, contributing to a better understanding of DKD pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.