To investigate whether vitamin E could suppress the fibrosis and protect renal
function of remnant kidney with chronic renal
failure (CRF)in rats.Methods:120 Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups.Rats of group A were sham operated as negative control.Rats of group B had 5/6 nephrectomy as positive control.Rats of group C were operated as group B and received treatment of vitamin E in their food.The renal morphometry,hydroxyproline,renal function and oxygen free radicals were measured on 30,60,90,120 days after operation.Results:In group B,accompanied with compensatory
glomerular hypertrophy and glomerular capillary proliferation,there were ①obvious glomerular sclerosis,filtration membrane thickening and interstitial
fibrosis,②marked increase of renal tissue lipid peroxide and hydroxyproline content,plasma creatinine and urea concentration,urine protein concentration,and mean arterial blood pressure,and ③significant decrease of hemoglobin content, hematocrit,renal tissue vitamin E content,renal tissue superoxide dismutase and catalase activity,as compared with group A.In group C,there were decrease of renal lipid peroxide,and increase of renal vitamin E content,renal superoxide dismutase and catalase activity,presented significantly less glomerular sclerosis,filtration membrane thickening,interstitial fibrosis, and renal hydroxyproline content than group B.As a whole,all indices of renal function became better than in group B.Conclusions:Vitamin E may suppress fibrosis of remnant kidney,but does not directly affect the compensatory glomerular hypertrophy and glomerular capillary proliferation.Therefore,it may protect the function of remnant kidney in 5/6 nephrectony induced CRF rats,probably due to its antioxidant roles.