Dietary arginine supplementation attenuates renal damage after relief of unilateral ureteral obstruction in rats

Progression of renal injury after relief of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) has been demonstrated. Nitric oxide (NO) may be an effective intervention due to its vasodilatory, antifibrotic, and anti-apoptotic effects. Herein, we used dietary L-arginine (ARG) supplementation in a UUO relief model. This study comprised group 1, control (no treatment). All other rats were subject to 3-day UUO, which was then relieved, and the rats maintained for 7 additional days. Group 2, no additional treatment; group 3, L-ARG; group 4, L-NAME, NO synthase inhibitor; group 5, ARG and L-NAME. Urinary NO(2/3) was quantified. GFR and ERPF were measured at day 10. Interstitial fibrosis and fibroblast expression, macrophage infiltration, tubular apoptosis, and proliferation, NOS expression, and the levels of tissue TGF-beta were evaluated. Urinary NO(2/3) was significantly increased by ARG treatment and decreased by L-NAME. GFR and ERPF measured 7 days following relief were not significantly different in the previously obstructed kidneys (POK) of groups 2 and 3. L-NAME significantly reduced GFR and ERPF in the POK. ARG significantly reduced apoptosis, macrophage infiltration, and fibroblast expression in the POK. L-NAME exacerbated the effects on apoptosis and fibroblasts. Fibrosis was minimal in groups 1 through 3, but was significantly increased by L-NAME. ARG did not affect renal NOS expression and tissue TGF-beta1 levels. Dietary ARG supplementation during UUO relief did not improve ERPF or GFR. However, renal damage, including fibrosis, apoptosis, and macrophage infiltration was significantly improved by ARG treatment. This suggests that increasing NO availability could be beneficial in the setting of UUO relief.