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Sex and strain differences in renal hemodynamics in mice
Yu Tao1, Cassandra Young-Stubbs1, Parisa Yazdizadeh Shotorbani1
1Department of Physiology and Anatomy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Physiological Reports
|March 22, 2023
Summary
Sex and strain impact kidney function (GFR) and blood flow (RBF) in mice. These differences vary with age, and eNOS influences RBF but not GFR sex differences.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Mouse models are crucial for understanding kidney diseases.
- Sex and genetic background significantly influence physiological processes, including renal function.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated strain- and age-dependent sex differences in renal hemodynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex and strain disparities in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal blood flow (RBF) across three common mouse strains (C57BL6, 129/Sv, C57BLKS/J).
- To explore the role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in sex-related differences in renal hemodynamics.
- To assess the impact of sexual dimorphism on renal injury severity in a diabetic nephropathy model.
Main Methods:
- GFR measured via transdermal FITC-sinitrin clearance in conscious mice.
- RBF measured using a flow probe in the renal artery under anesthesia.
- eNOS deletion and assessment in C57BLKS/J and eNOS-/- dbdb mice.
Main Results:
- Sex differences in GFR and RBF were strain- and age-dependent.
- Female 129/Sv and C57BLKS/J mice exhibited higher GFR than males at 24 weeks (129/Sv) and 8/24 weeks (C57BLKS/J), respectively.
- eNOS deletion affected GFR and RBF differently between sexes, impacting RBF more significantly in males.
Conclusions:
- Sex differences in mouse renal hemodynamics are complex, varying by strain and age.
- eNOS plays a role in sex differences in RBF, but not GFR.
- Sexual dimorphism does not appear to influence the severity of renal injury in diabetic nephropathy.
