Figure 4

Immunohistochemical staining (A) and quantitative analysis (B) in six groups of rats. Brown color indicates the positive staining. Abundant expression of ACE, TGF-β31, VEGF and type IV collagen was detected within the glomeruli of kidneys from the no treatment and Ad-GFP groups compared with the normal group. In contrast, the Ad-ACE2, ACEI and Ad-ACE2 + ACEI groups showed markedly attenuated expression of ACE, TGF-β31, VEGF and type IV collagen but enhanced expression of nephrin compared with the Ad-GFP group. More proliferative cells (arrow) were seen in the no treatment and Ad-GFP groups than the normal group. The number of PCNA-positive cells was greatly diminished in the Ad-ACE2, ACEI and Ad-ACE2 + ACEI groups compared with the no treatment group. *P < 0.05, ^#P < 0.01 versus normal group; ^§P < 0.01 versus no treatment group.