Astaxanthin Improves Renal Fibrosis and Protecting Renal Injury in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The objective was to study the protective effects of astaxanthin (ATX) on renal injury induced by hypertension and explore its possible mechanism in rats. After 22 weeks, tail artery systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured and renal pathological changes were observed by HE staining; Masson staining was used to observe renal fibrosis, and the contents of SOD, GSH-Px, T-AOC and MDA in renal cortex of SHR were detected. The contents of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in renal tissue were determined by ELISA; the expression of IL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNA in renal tissue was detected by RT-qPCR and the expression of NF-kappa B p-p65 in renal cortex by Western Blot. Results: Compared with SHR group, the values of SOD, GSH-Px and T-AOC in renal tissue after ATX treatment were significantly increased (p < 0.05), and the content of MDA was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Elisa and RT-qPCR shown that content levels and the mRNA expression of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in ATX groups were lower than those in SHR group. Western Blot showed that the expression of TLR4 and NF-kappa B(p65) proteins in SHR group decreased after ATX treatment. In conclusion: ATX can improve the level of oxidative stress in SHR kidney, significantly reduce inflammation and fibrosis, and plays a protective role in kidney.