Renoprotective effect of statin: a ischemia-reperfusion animal model

Ischemic acute kidney injury (iLRA), with multifatorial cause, presents alarming morbidity and mortality. Statin, HMG-CoA inhibition reductase has shown a renoprotective effect, with antioxidant, antiinflamatory and vascular actions. The heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) can be involved in these pleitropic effects of statin on the renal function. This study was performed in order to evaluate if the renoprotective effect of the statin is a heme mechanism of protection in rats.

The ischemic model was reproduced by through clamping the bilateral renal pedicles for 30 minutes followed by reperfusion. Adult Wistar rats, weighting from 250-300g, were divided into the following groups: SHAM (control); Ischemia (30 minutes renal ischemia); Ischemia+Statin (sinvastatin 0.5mg/kg,orally (v.o.) for 3 days); Ischemia+Hemin (Hemin, 1.0mg/100g, intraperitoneal (i.p.), 24 hours before surgery); Ischemia+SnPP (SnPP 2μmol/kg, i.p., 24 hours before surgery ); Ischemia+Statin+Hemin; Ischemia+Statin+SnPP. RF (clearance of creatinine, Jaffé method), urinary peroxides (UP), urinary osmolality (UO) and immunohistochemical for ED-1 were evaluated.

Results showed that sinvastatin ameliorated RF, urinary osmolality, reduced the UP excrection and the macrophage infiltration in rats submitted to renal ischemia. The inducer of HO-1 and its association with sinvastatin induced a similar pattern of improvement of renal function.

the study confirmed the renoprotective effect of the statins on renal function, with antioxidant and antiinflamatory actions, and it suggests that this effect can have an interface with the heme system of renal protection.