Thiazide diuretics do not protect against changes that accompany renal aging

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Felipe Inserra1, Marcelo Userpater, Marcelo Ferder

  • 1Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Prof. Dr. Alberto C. Taquini School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Journal of Nephrology
|August 8, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Long-term hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) treatment in mice did not prevent age-related kidney changes. While reducing blood pressure, HCT appeared to worsen glomerulosclerosis and mesangial matrix expansion in aging kidneys.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Gerontology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Kidney aging causes structural changes similar to hypertension.
  • Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) is a thiazide diuretic used to manage blood pressure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if long-term hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) treatment prevents age-related kidney structural changes.
  • To evaluate the effects of HCT on renal function and morphology in aging mice.

Main Methods:

  • CF1 female mice received HCT in drinking water throughout their lives.
  • Evaluated mean arterial pressure (MAP), proteinuria, plasma creatinine, and urea.
  • Performed morphometric analysis of glomeruli, including cell count, diameter, mesangial area, and glomerulosclerosis (%GS).
  • Utilized alpha-SM-actin immunolabeling for early glomerulosclerosis detection and electron microscopy for podocyte and glomerular basement membrane assessment.

Main Results:

  • HCT group exhibited lower MAP but increased proteinuria at 24 months.
  • Glomeruli number decline and %GS were not altered by HCT treatment.
  • HCT treatment led to greater mesangial matrix expansion and alpha-SM-actin expression.

Conclusions:

  • Glomerulosclerosis and renal function decline are hallmarks of kidney aging.
  • Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) reduces blood pressure but does not prevent, and may exacerbate, age-related kidney damage in CF1 mice.
Abstract

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