EFFECTS OF TREATMENT WITH ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME-INHIBITOR (ACEI) OR ANGIOTENSIN-II RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST (AIIRA) ON RENAL-FUNCTION AND GLOMERULAR INJURY IN SUBTOTAL NEPHRECTOMIZED RATS

The aim of this study was to determine if treatment with angiotensin-c onverting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor antagoni sts (AIIRA) might decrease urinary albumin excretion and prevent glome rular enlargement and glomerulosclerosis in subtotal (5/6) nephrectomi zed rats. Morphometric image analysis of glomeruli was also performed in the subtotal nephrectomized rats. The nephrectomized rats were trea ted with ACEI (enalapril 100 mg/l), AIIRA (L-158,809 10 mg/l) or TRX ( reserpine 5 mg/l, hydralazine 80 mg/l, and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/l ) and euthanized at 16 weeks after renal ablation. Treatments were sta rted at 2 weeks (early treatment: Group I) or 8 weeks (later treatment : Group II) after the ablation. ACEI and AIIRA treatments were equally and significantly effective in limiting albuminuria and progression o f glomerular sclerosis. TRX was also as effective in decreasing urinar y albumin excretion and preserving the renal function as ACEI or AIIRA in Group I. The improvement of albuminuria, glomerular enlargement an d sclerosis after these treatments in Group II was significantly less than that in Group I. It appears that the early treatment with angiote nsin converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor antagonist o r reserpine, hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide (TRX) may prevent glo merular injury in human patients with renal hypertension. (C) 1997 Wil ey-Liss, Inc.