Genetic disorders – Development
Kidney International (2002) 62, 1187–1195; doi:10.1111/j.1523-1755.2002.kid584.x
High-protein induced renal enlargement is growth hormone independent
Johan W van Neck, Vesna Cingel, Arlène K Van Vliet, Stenvert L S Drop and Allan Flyvbjerg
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Subdivision of Molecular Endocrinology, Erasmus University/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and Medical Research Laboratories, Institute of Experimental Clinical Research, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Correspondence: Johan W. van Neck, Ph.D., Department of Plastic Surgery, Room Ee15.91, Erasmus University Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: vanneck@plch.fgg.eur.nl
Received 15 August 2000; Revised 5 April 2002; Accepted 24 May 2002.
Abstract
High-protein induced renal enlargement is growth hormone independent.
Background
Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have been postulated as pathogenic factors in several forms of renal growth, including that induced by high-protein (HP) diets. Compensatory renal growth (CRG) following renal uninephrectomy is strictly GH dependent, while the exact role of GH as a regulating factor in HP induced renal growth has not been fully clarified.
Methods
To elucidate a possible direct role for GH in HP-induced renal growth, we examined the effect of a newly developed specific GH-receptor (GHR) antagonist (B2036-PEG) on renal growth and renal GH/IGF-system expression in HP-fed mice.
Results
Mice fed a HP diet (45% protein) for one week demonstrated renal hypertrophy and increased renal IGF-I. GH receptor antagonist (GHRA) treatment neither modified renal IGF-I nor abolished the renal hypertrophy. In contrast, however, GHRA administration did modify renal mRNA expression of many members of the GH and IGF systems.
Conclusions
The major new finding is that HP-induced renal growth in adult mice is GH independent.
Keywords:
growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor, high protein diet, kidney, liver, mouse, mRNA
