The juxtaglomerular apparatus in young type-1 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria - Effect of antihypertensive treatment

Background: Our goal was to investigate the effect of antihypertensive drugs on the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) in young type-1 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria. Methods: Twelve patients were allocated to treatment with either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (group 1. six subjects) or a beta-receptor blocker (group 2, six subjects). A comparable group of nine patients without antihypertensive treatment provided reference values (group 3, nine subjects). Renal biopsies were taken at baseline and after a median of 40 months (groups 1 and 2) and 30 months (group 3). Using light microscopy with I-Vm serial sections of the plastic-embedded biopsies. volumes of the JGA and glomerulus and areas of the macula densa and lumina of the afferent and efferent arterioles were obtained. Results: A significant decrease of the volume of the JGA (P = 0.026) and of the volume of the JGA relative to that of its corresponding glomerulus (P = 0.0005) was noted in the reference group only. Negative correlations existed between the increase in the luminal area of the afferent arteriole and mean diastolic blood pressure in the study period in group 1 (P = 0.024) and group 2 (P = 0.032). Conclusions: Our results showed that a decrease in the size of the JGA is offset by antihypertensives. The negative correlation between the change in the luminal area of the afferent arteriole and mean diastolic blood pressure in groups 1 and 2 suggest that renal protection in antihypertensive treatment may be through a better constriction of the afferent arteriole protecting the glomerulus from systemic blood pressure.