Puromycin-induced
nephrotic syndrome is an animal model of progressive renal disease. Both
angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and
lipid-lowering agents have been used to preserve renal structure and function in this model, although neither completely prevents progression. We tested the hypothesis that the combination of the two agents would be more protective than either alone. Rats were divided into five groups; all were uninephrectomized. Four groups were given
puromycin at a dose of 10 mg/100 g
body weight (BW) with additional doses of 4 mg/100 g BW given intraperitoneally at 4, 5, and 6 weeks thereafter. One group was given
enalapril (EN) 50 mg/l dissolved in the
drinking water; the second received
lovastatin (L) 15 mg/kg given daily by gavage; the third received both agents; the fourth was left untreated, and the final group received no
puromycin and served as the control group. Eight weeks after the initial dose of
puromycin, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), as
inulin clearance, and
protein excretion were determined and blood was collected for
cholesterol and
triglycerides. Blood pressure was not different between any of the groups. At the end of the study period, serum
cholesterol [mean +/- SD, 252 +/- 185 mg/dl (L), 135 +/- 101 mg/dl (L + EN)] and
triglycerides (239 +/- 200, 148 +/- 158 mg/dl) were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the
lovastatin-treated groups than in the untreated
puromycin group (535 +/- 255 mg/dl and 579 +/- 561 mg/dl,
cholesterol and
triglyceride, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)