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Updated: May 30, 2026
Early Detection of Drug-Induced Renal Hemodynamic Dysfunction Using Sonographic Technology in Rats
Published on: March 11, 2016
Postnatal renal abnormalities in rats exposed to losartan during lactation
Evelyn Cristina Santana Marin1, Heloísa Della Coletta Francescato, Cleonice Giovanini Alves da Silva
1Department of Physiology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
Background/Aims:
Rats exposed to losartan during lactation exhibit progressive changes in renal function and structure. This study analyzed the early events in pups from dams that received losartan during lactation.
Methods:
Male Wistar rats from dams that received 2% sucrose (control, n = 25) or losartan (100 mg/kg/day) diluted in 2% sucrose (n = 33) during lactation were anesthetized 21 days after birth. Blood and urine samples were collected to assess renal function, and kidneys were removed for histological, immunohistochemical, Western blot, lipid peroxidation and glutathione analyses.
Results:
The group exposed to losartan exhibited increased albuminuria and fractional sodium and potassium excretion, decreased glomerular area and interstitial expansion. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated increased tubulointerstitial macrophage infiltration, apoptosis and increased vimentin and α-smooth-muscle-actin expression in animals exposed to losartan. In addition, the glomeruli of animals exposed to losartan exhibited increased peripheral desmin expression and reduced glomerular epithelial protein 1 and podocin expression compared to controls. Lastly, renal lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels were higher in the losartan-treated pups.
Conclusion:
Pups exposed to losartan during lactation exhibited adverse changes in renal function and structure, and tubulointerstitial inflammation at 21 days of age that were associated with apoptosis and oxidative stress.
