Fig. 4

Proteinuria, renal function, and renal pathology lesions in bradykinin 1 receptor (B1R) blockade group and control group of MRL/lpr mice. Twenty-eight 4-month-old MRL/lpr mice were divided into a control group (n = 14) and a treatment group (n = 14) and administered the B1R antagonist SSR240612B1R or placebo for 12 weeks, as described above. B1R blockade ameliorated proteinuria (P = 0.0023, a) and serum BUN (P = 0.0219, b) levels in the treatment group compared with the control group. B1R blockade attenuated glomerular injury significantly (c, P = 0.0325). Glomerular sclerosis was reduced after B1R blockade, but there was no statistical difference between the two groups. A similar degree of interstitial lesions was seen between the two groups. Shown in (d) and (e) are representative images from periodic acid–Schiff–stained, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded renal sections from the control (e) and B1R inhibitor-treated (d) mice. (Original magnification 600×). The control group showed significant endocapillary cellular proliferation, membrane thickness, and irregularity in glomeruli, with obliteration of capillary lumina. A non-parametric Mann–Whitney test was used to determine statistical significance. Taking into account the missing values (for deceased animals), the corrected P values were as follows: a: P <0.0001, b: P <0.0001, c: P <0.0001 for glomerular lesions, P <0.014 for sclerosis, and not significant for TI score