Effect of Carnosine on the Activity of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and Oxidative Stress in the Kidneys in Experimental Urate Nephrolithiasis

The effect of carnosine on MMP-2 activity and oxidative stress in the kidneys in experimental urate nephrolithiasis was studied. Urate nephrolithiasis was modeled in Wistar rats by intragastric administration of a mixture of oxonic and uric acids. Carnosine was administered intragastrically through a tube in a dose of 15 mg/kg. In rats treated with carnosine, the concentration of MMP-2 in the urine decreased by 3.7 times, and the excretion of MMP-2 with urine decreased by 4.3 times. In the homogenate of the kidneys from rats treated with carnosine, the concentration of TBA-reactive substances decreased by 5 times and the concentration of MMP-2 decreased by 12.7%. After treatment with carnosine, the number of histologically confirmed cases of urate nephrolithiasis decreased by 2 times, while the mean size of urate deposits decreased by 2.7 times. Thus, carnosine inhibits MMP-2 and reduces the intensity of oxidative stress in the kidneys, which prevents the development of urate nephrolithiasis.