A Sodium Oxalate-Rich Diet Induces Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiac Dysfunction in Rats

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health issue affecting 14% of the general population. However, research focusing on CKD mechanisms/treatment is limited because of a lack of animal models recapitulating the disease physiopathology, including its complications. We analyzed the effects of a three-week diet rich in sodium oxalate (OXA diet) on rats and showed that, compared to controls, rats developed a stable CKD with a 60% reduction in glomerular filtration rate, elevated blood urea levels and proteinuria. Histological analyses revealed massive cortical disorganization, tubular atrophy and fibrosis. Males and females were sensitive to the OXA diet, but decreasing the diet period to one week led to GFR significance but not stable diminution. Rats treated with the OXA diet also displayed classical CKD complications such as elevated blood pressure and reduced hematocrit. Functional cardiac analyses revealed that the OXA diet triggered significant cardiac dysfunction. Altogether, our results showed the feasibility of using a convenient and non-invasive strategy to induce CKD and its classical systemic complications in rats. This model, which avoids kidney mass loss or acute toxicity, has strong potential for research into CKD mechanisms and novel therapies, which could protect and postpone the use of dialysis or transplantation.

Deleterious effects of hyperoxaluria on some rats' organs and the promising in vitro oxalate fragmentation influence of aqueous extract of Rosmarinus officinalis Linn.

“…Accordingly, urea and creatinine serum levels in the present study did not represent the correct biochemical markers for the detection of kidney functions during hyperoxaluria in the short run. These results are opposing to Crestani et al, [45] as they found an increase in plasma urea and creatinine levels during the first 3 weeks in Wistar rats administrated sodium oxalate rich diets. They also reported no changes in blood glucose levels and PH.…”

“…On the other hand, the determination of histopathological changes in kidney tissues were observed in experimental animals when injected intraperitoneally with oxalates was attributed to the generation of malondialdhyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). [45][46][47][48][49][50].…”