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

The present study was performed to determine quantitatively the effect of hypercholesterolemia induced by a lipid-rich diet on glomerulosclerosis in an animal model of nephrotic syndrome (NS) induced by Adriamycin (ADR). Twenty NS Wistar rats administered ADR with a single intravenous dose of 5 mg/kg body weight were divided into standard and lipid-rich chow groups. Another 20 weight-matched non-NS rats that received a vehicle alone were grouped as controls. Quantitative analyses of renal histological changes were performed with determination of blood and urine biochemical parameters. It was found that serum cholesterol was markedly higher in rats with lipid-rich chow in both NS and non-NS rats. Urinary protein was significantly higher in rats on the lipid-rich diet in the NS group. The mesangial matrix and cell indices were significantly increased in rats with the lipid-rich diet and the most obvious changes were found in the NS group. Lipid deposits and foam cells were observed in mesangial areas, and some glomeruli had progressed to form focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis in the NS group. Findings indicated that diet-induced hyperlipidemia can lead to proliferation of mesangial cells and accumulation of mesangial matrices, and further aggravate glomerulosclerosis in Adriamycin-induced nephrosis.