L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway and chronic nephropathy in aged rats.
Effects of aging and dietary protein on the L-arginine-nitric oxide (Arg-NO) pathway and the progress of chronic nephropathy were examined. At 6-7 months of age, 10 male Fischer 344 rats were fed a 23% protein diet until 24 or 25 months of age, and another 10 were fed a 12% protein diet until that age. Twenty male Fischer 344 rats that were fed the 23% protein diet from 6 to 8 months of age were used as a control. Urinary excretion of nitrite/nitrate (NOx) at the age of 24 months in the 23% protein group was remarkably decreased, whereas in the 12% protein group, urinary NOx remained comparable to that of the control. Histological examination revealed that chronic nephropathy was highly progressive in the 23% protein group, accompanied by lowered renal function, but these changes were obviously suppressed in the 12% protein group. These results suggest that an age-related decrease in the synthesis of NO could be associated with the progress of chronic nephropathy.
Central Research Laboratories, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Yokohama, Japan.
I
I
Sonaka
Y
Y
Futami
T
T
Maki
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D006146:Guanidines / Q000652:urine; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000652:urine; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012598:Sclerosis; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
D000596:Amino Acids; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D006146:Guanidines; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D003404:Creatinine