Vasoactive intestinal peptide infusion reverses existing renal interstitial fibrosis via a blood pressure independent mechanism in the rat.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide infusion reverses existing renal interstitial fibrosis via a blood pressure independent mechanism in the rat. Eur J Pharmacol. 2020 Jan 31;:172979 Authors: Duggan KA, Hodge G, Chen J, Trajanovska S, Hunter T Abstract Dialysis requiring renal failure is a silent epidemic. Despite an annual mortality of 24% the dialysis population has increased by 1-4% per annum. Regardless of the initial injury, tubulointerstitial fibrosis is a feature of the renal pathology and it inversely correlates with declining renal function. Current agents display little efficacy against tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Clearly, therapies effective against tubulointerstitial fibrosis and able to preserve kidney function are needed. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been shown to reverse pre-existing cardiac fibrosis. We sought to determine whether VIP is effective in tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) on a 2.2% salt diet were randomised to zero time control, 4 week infusion of VIP (5 pmol/kg/min) or vehicle control infusion. A fourth group, to match the blood pressure reduction achieved in the VIP infused group was included. Fibrosis was quantitated by computerised histomorphometry, changes in pro-fibrotic mediators were measured by quantitative rt-PCR and macrophage activation assessed by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (c-AMP) response to incubation with VIP. Tubulointerstitial fibrosis in the VI...
Source: European Journal of Pharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Eur J Pharmacol Source Type: research