Role of androgens in mediating renal injury in aging SHR

Men have an increased risk of cardiovascular and renal diseases and develop greater renal injury despite similar levels of blood pressure when compared with women. The mechanisms responsible for this predisposition are unknown. Using the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), we have found that androgens play an important role in the development of hypertension in young male SHR. However, the role that androgens play in age-related renal injury and dysfunction in SHR is unknown. Our hypothesis was that despite reductions in serum testosterone with age, androgens mediate renal injury and dysfunction in male SHR. Male SHR were castrated at 8 months of age, studied at 18 months of age, and compared with age-matched, intact males and young intact males ( 4 months). Serum testosterone was reduced by 30% in aging males compared with young SHR. With castration, blood pressure ( mean arterial pressure [ MAP]) was decreased by > 20 mm Hg compared with old males, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was increased by > 35%, and renal vascular resistance (RVR) was reduced by > 40%. MAP, GFR, and RVR in castrated, old males were similar to values in young males. With castration, glomerular sclerosis was reversed and proteinuria was also decreased by > 80% when compared with old intact males. In addition, in castrated old males, plasma renin activity was decreased by 30% compared with old males and by 60% compared with young rats. The data support the hypothesis that despite a reduction in testosterone with age, androgens play an important role in age-related renal injury and dysfunction in SHR.