Ovariectomy is protective against renal injury in the high-salt-fed older mRen2. Lewis rat

Studies in experimental animals and younger women suggest a protective role for estrogen; however, clinical trials may not substantiate this effect in older females. Therefore, the present study assessed the outcome of ovariectomy in older mRen2. Lewis rats subjected to a high-salt diet for 4 wk. Intact or ovariectomized (OVX, 15 wk of age) mRen2. Lewis rats were aged to 60 wk and then placed on a high-salt (HS, 8% sodium chloride) diet for 4 wk. Systolic blood pressures were similar between groups [OVX 169 +/- 6 vs. Intact 182 +/- 7 mmHg; P = 0.22] after the 4-wk diet; however, proteinuria [OVX 0.8 +/- 0.2 vs. Intact 11.5 +/- 2.6 mg/mg creatinine; P < 0.002, n = 6], renal interstitial fibrosis, glomerular sclerosis, and tubular casts were lower in OVX vs. Intact rats. Kidney injury molecule-1 mRNA, a marker of tubular damage, was 53% lower in the OVX HS group. Independent from blood pressure, OVX HS rats exhibited significantly lower cardiac (24%) and renal (32%) hypertrophy as well as lower C-reactive protein (28%). Circulating insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels were not different between the Intact and OVX groups; however, renal cortical IGF-I mRNA and protein were attenuated in OVX rats [P < 0.05, n = 6]. We conclude that ovariectomy in the older female mRen2. Lewis rat conveys protection against salt-dependent increase in renal injury.