Fig. 1

Study design and renal histopathological characteristics. The work flow of this study (A.) The weekly body weight of mice from 8- to 20-weeks (B) and the fasting blood glucose (FBG) at 8-, 12-, 16-, and 20-weeks (C) in the control group (CT), diabetic kidney disease group (DKD), and anthocyanin (ANT)-treated group all three groups. The green, orange, and blue nodes represent the CT, DKD, and ANT group, respectively (two-way ANOVA and multiple comparison using Tukey’s honest difference test, ^#between the DKD vs. CT groups, P < 0.05; ^&between the ANT vs. DKD groups, P < 0.05; NS not significant). (D) ANT improved renal dysfunction in diabetic mice. Representative photomicrographs of the kidney sections observed with hematoxylin&eosin (H&E), periodic acid–Schiff (PAS), and Masson staining (scale bar, 20 μm). Glomeruli in the kidney sections were visualized using H&E staining. The mesangial matrix was seen in the PAS staining. The interstitial fibers were visualized with Masson staining. The glomerular perimeter (E), area (F), and fibrosis score (G) and fibrosis score of renal interstitium (H) in three groups. The cystatin-C (I), blood urea nitrogen (J), urinary creatinine (K), and urinary microalbumin (L) in the three groups. The green, orange, and blue nodes represent the CT, DKD, and ANT groups, respectively (one-way ANOVA and multiple comparison using Holm-Sidak’s multiple comparisons test; ****P < 0.0001; ***P < 0.001; **P < 0.01; *P < 0.05; NS not significant)