Cardiorenal abnormalities associated with high sodium intake: correction by spironolactone in rats

Reversal by the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone on cardiac and renal abnormalities, associated with long-term (since weaning) administration of a high (2 and 8% NaCl chow, HS2 and HS8) sodium diet, was assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats. At the age of 5 mo, spironolactone (20 or 100 mg/kg, gavage) or placebo were given for 14 days to HS2 and HS8 rats. A group fed a regular diet (0.8% NaCl, NS) remained untreated. High sodium intake had no detectable effect on blood pressure; however, cardiac mass index and cross-sectional area of the carotid artery, as well as albuminuria, were increased only in the HS8 group compared with the control group on NS diet. In addition, a marked reduction in glomerular filtration rate (by 40%), associated with a nonproportional fall in renal plasma flow (thus resulting in a decrease in filtration fraction), was observed only in the HS8 group. No change in cardiac and renal fibrosis was detected. Production of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) by aortic tissue was increased in HS8 rats, whereas ROS production by the heart was unaffected. Only the high dose of spironolactone was effective, as it markedly reversed the cardiac hypertrophy and renal hypofiltration associated with the HS8 feeding. The changes were observed in the absence of any effect on systemic blood pressure and production of ROS. These observations favor aldosterone's role in the deleterious effects of marked and prolonged increases in sodium intake.