A single dose of estrogen during hemorrhagic shock protects against Kidney Injury whereas estrogen restoration in ovariectomized mice is ineffective

The protective effect of estrogens against chronic glomerular diseases is admitted but remains debated during acute kidney injury (AKI). Using a model of resuscitated hemorrhagic shock in C57/Bl6 female mice, this study evaluated at 1 and 21 days the renal effect of (1) endogenous estrogen, using ovariectomized mice with or without chronic estrogen restoration, or (2) exogenous estrogen, using a single administration of a pharmacological dose during shock resuscitation. In both ovariectomized and intact mice, hemorrhagic shock induced epithelial cell damages (assessed by KIM-1 renal expression) with secondary renal fibrosis but without significant decrease in GFR at day 21. Ovariectomy with or without estrogen restoration have no significant effect on renal damages and dysfunction. This lack of effect was associated with a marked (>80%) reduction of total kidney GPR30 expression. By contrast, a single high dose of estradiol in intact mice reduced renal KIM-1 expression by 2/3, attenuated the severity of cell death related to pyroptosis, and prevented the increase of fibrosis by 1/3. This provides a rationale to investigate the benefits of a single administration of estrogen or estrogen modulators during acute kidney injuries in males. Furthermore, the cost/benefit ratio of such administration should be investigated in Human.