(PTFS08-02-26) A Plant-Based Diet Attenuates Hypertension-Induced Renal Dysfunction and Hepatic Injury in Female Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Objectives: Hypertension drives progressive renal dysfunction and hepatic injury. We hypothesized, and then tested, whether a polyphenol-rich plant-based diet (PBD) attenuated hypertension-induced kidney and liver injury in spontaneously hypertensive female rats (SHRs).

Methods: Female normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and SHRs were studied in prevention and treatment arms using a refined control diet (C) and a plant-based diet (PBD) composed of 28% (w/w) fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. PBD was initiated at study onset (prevention arm) or after 24 weeks of hypertension (treatment arm). Serum urea, creatinine, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) concentrations were measured enzymatically, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated from creatinine/urea. Kidney and liver proteins were assessed by Western blot. Independent-samples t-tests were used (serum n=10–12/group; tissue n=5/group). Data are presented as mean ± SD; p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: A PBD did not reduce systemic hypertension but improved renal and hepatic injury markers. In the prevention phase, blood urea concentration was higher in SHR-C vs WKY-C (3.84 ± 1.12) vs (2.79 ± 0.93 mM; p=0.01) and lower in SHR-PBD (3.02 ± 0.80 mM) vs SHR-C (p=0.02), with a similar directional pattern in the treatment phase. Serum creatinine levels did not differ between groups. In prevention, eGFR was lower in SHR-C (1164 ± 163 µL/min) vs WKY (1423 ± 299 µL/min; p=0.008) and numerically higher in SHR-PBD (1297 ± 210 µL/min) vs SHR+C (p=0.051). In treatment, eGFR was lower in SHR-C (1319 ± 277 µL/min) vs WKY (1535 ± 197 µL/min; p=0.02) and higher in SHR+PBD (1599 ± 432 µL/min) vs SHR-C (p=0.04). ALT levels were higher in SHR-C (32.6 ± 3.2 U/L) vs WKY-C (20.5 ± 3.5 U/L; p < 0.0001) and vs SHR-PBD (22.5 ± 3.5 U/L; p < 0.0001) in prevention, with a similar directional pattern in treatment. A PBD also improved kidney-specific redox proteins and reduced liver-specific inflammatory signaling proteins.

Conclusions: A polyphenol-rich PBD improved markers of renal dysfunction and hepatic injury despite persistent hypertension, supporting further translational investigation as a dietary strategy to mitigate hypertension-associated organ dysfunction.

Funding Sources: USDA; NIH; Hevolution Foundation.