Establishment of an animal model and drug intervention for hyperuricemic nephropathy

期刊連結：http://www.gouthyperuricemia.com Objective: More than 50% of gout patients have been reported to show gouty nephropathy. This study aimed to establish an animal model of hyperuricemic nephropathy and investigate the effect of different drugs on renal fibrosis in rats. Methods: Rats were treated by a high purine diet, and different drugs were administered intragastrically. Renal function, histological changes, and protein expression levels were measured. Results: High purine-loaded rats showed hyperuricemic nephropathy, with hyperuricemia, impaired renal function, and interstitial fibrosis. IL-1ß, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expressions were significantly increased (P=0.000). However, when the high purine diet was stopped, renal function improved to some degree. Rats in the losartan and etoricoxib groups showed better renal function and renal index, less interstitial collagen deposition, and lower IL-1ß, TGF-ß1, PAI-1and expression levels after being treated for 3 and 5 weeks. Colchicine group rats had less interstitial lesions and reduced expression of IL-1ß and TGF-ß1 after 5 weeks of treatment (P=0.034, 0.049). Conclusion: An animal model of hyperuricemic nephropathy was achieved by high purine loading and is suitable for research on hyperuricemic nephropathy. The high level of uric acid observed was the predominant reason for the prevalence of hyperuricemic nephropathy. Losartan, etoricoxib, and colchicine can partly improve rat renal function and reduce protein expression in the kidney in rats.