The effect of zinc supplementation on cigarette smoke-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of zinc-supplemented diet on the cigarette smoke-induced changes on toll-like receptor (tlr), nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in b-cells (nfkb) and cytokine gene expression in renal tissue of rats. a total of 24 wistar albino rats were allocated into four groups as group a: non-smoke controls (n:6), group b: non-smoke+zinc (n:6), group c: smoke (n:6), and group d; smoke+zinc (n:6). rna isolation was performed from the renal tissues of the rats which were sacrificed at the end of the 12th week. the expression levels of tlr2, tlr4, nfkb1, nfkb2 and interleukin 1 alpha (il1a), interleukin 10 (il10) genes were evaluated using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr). in addition, these tissues were examined histopathologically and the direct protective effect of zinc on these tissues was investigated. no significant difference was found between the groups in terms of tlr2 and tlr4, nfkb1 and nfkb2, il1 and il10 gene expression levels. as a result of the histopathological assessment, a statistically significant difference was detected between group a, c and d in terms of hemorrhage, congestion, inflammation, glomerular atrophy and tubular injury (p<0.05). the zinc supplementation may have a protective effect from cigarette smoke-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.