Pharmacologic Treatment of Hyperlipidemia Reduces Glomerular Injury in Rat 5/6 Nephrectomy Model of Chronic Renal Failure

The role of lipid abnormalities in the pathogenesis of focal glomerulosclerosis was investigated in the rat remnant kidney model of chronic renal failure. Rats subjected to right nephrectomy and two-thirds segmental infarction of the left kidney (5/6 nephrectomy) were treated for 10 weeks with the lipid-lowering agent clofibric add. Both serum cholesterol and urine albumin excretion were significantly reduced by cloflbric add. At 10 weeks, the percent of glomeruli with focal glomerulosclerosis was 5 ± 2% in clofibric acid-treated and 24 ± 5% in untreated 5/6 nephrectomy rats (p 0.05) in 5/6 nephrectomy rats. In a separate set of experiments, 5/6 nephrectomy rats were treated with the specific cholesterol synthesis inhibitor, mevinolin. Mevinolin improved serum lipid levels and reduced albnminuria in 5/6 nephrectomy rats without causing significant alterations in blood pressure. Focal glomerulosderosis was also reduced by mevinolln (11±2% versus 30±3%, p