title: Salt-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in Dahl salt-sensitive rats is dependent on elevated blood pressure.
abstract: Dietary salt intake has been linked to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Accumulating evidence has indicated that salt-sensitive individuals on high salt intake are more likely to develop renal fibrosis. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) participates in the development and progression of renal fibrosis in humans and animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of a high-salt diet on EMT in Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) rats. Twenty-four male SS and consomic SS-13(BN) rats were randomized to a normal diet or a high-salt diet. After 4 weeks, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and albuminuria were analyzed, and renal fibrosis was histopathologically evaluated. Tubular EMT was evaluated using immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR with E-cadherin and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). After 4 weeks, SBP and albuminuria were significantly increased in the SS high-salt group compared with the normal diet group. Dietary salt intake induced renal fibrosis and tubular EMT as identified by reduced expression of E-cadherin and enhanced expression of α-SMA in SS rats. Both blood pressure and renal interstitial fibrosis were negatively correlated with E-cadherin but positively correlated with α-SMA. Salt intake induced tubular EMT and renal injury in SS rats, and this relationship might depend on the increase in blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: F Q
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000235:genetics; D000419:Albuminuria; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000502:physiology*; D005355:Fibrosis; D015870:Gene Expression; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D020303:Rats, Inbred Dahl; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D015820:Cadherins; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; C051037:Fontana-Masson stain; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat