Effects of anti-hyperlipidaemic agent or dietary protein restriction on progressive renal deterioration in adriamycin-induced nephropathy in rats.

Hyperlipidaemia is strongly suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of glomerular sclerosis. This study intends to clarify the effects of either a lipid lowering agent, lovastatin (LO) or protein restriction (PR) on adriamycin (ADR)-induced progressive glomerular sclerosis in rats. During the study period both serum cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly reduced in ADR-injected rats with either lovastatin administration (ADR-LO) or protein restriction (ADR-PR) compared to those without such treatment (ADR-NP). At week 22, urinary protein excretion, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, glomerular sclerosis and tubulointestinal alterations, which were marked in ADR-NP, were ameliorated in both ADR-LO and ADR-PR rats. ADR-LO resulted in a body weight similar to that in ADR-NP while ADR-PR induced a marked weight loss. An antihyperlipidaemic agent, such as lovastatin, seems to be a useful tool for the prevention of renal deterioration.