Glomerulosclerosis in Adriamycin-induced nephrosis is accelerated by a lipid-rich diet

The present study was performed to determine quantitatively the effect of h ypercholesterolemia induced by a lipid-rich diet on glomerulosclerosis in a n animal model of nephrotic syndrome (NS) induced by Adriamycin (ADR). Twen ty NS Wistar rats administered ADR with a single intravenous dose of 5 mg/k g body weight were divided into standard and lipid-rich chow groups. Anothe r 20 weight-matched non-NS rats that received a vehicle alone were grouped as controls. Quantitative analyses of renal histological changes were perfo rmed with determination of blood and urine biochemical parameters. It was f ound that serum cholesterol was markedly higher in rats with lipid-rich cho w in both NS and non-NS rats. Urinary protein was significantly higher in r ats on the lipid-rich diet in the NS group. The mesangial matrix and cell i ndices were significantly increased in rats with the lipid-rich diet and th e most obvious changes were found in the NS group, Lipid deposits and foam cells were observed in mesangial areas, and some glomeruli had progressed t o form focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis in the NS group. Findings ind icated that diet-induced hyperlipidemia can lead to proliferation of mesang ial cells and accumulation of mesangial matrices, and further aggravate glo merulosclerosis in Adriamycin-induced nephrosis.