Paricalcitol and Calcitriol Prevent Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease in Uremic Rats

Objective: Chronic kidney disease is common, irreversible, and associated with high mortality and morbidity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of calcitriol and paricalcitol on chronic kidney disease progression in an adenineinduced uremic rat model.

Methods: Male Wistar-albino rats were fed a diet containing 0.75% adenine + 1.2% phosphorus for 3 weeks to induce chronic kidney disease. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (n = 12), chronic kidney disease group (n = 12), chronic kidney disease+ calcitriol group (n = 12), chronic kidney disease + paricalcitol group (n = 12), calcitriol group (n = 6), paricalcitol group (n = 6). Animals were monitored for weight and systolic blood pressure. The kidney function parameters, parathyroid hormone, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and kidney histology were investigated. This research was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Unit (11-TIP-062).

Results: Kidney histology proved that the adenine-induced uremic rat model was successfully established. Serum urea, creatinine, and phosphorus were significantly higher in chronic kidney disease, chronic kidney disease + calcitriol, chronic kidney disease + paricalcitol groups compared with the control group (P < .05). Calcitriol and paricalcitol provide effective parathyroid hormone suppression and decrease serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels in uremic rats. All uremic rats, including the paricalcitol and calcitriol treatment groups, lost weight. Paricalcitol significantly lowered systolic blood pressure in uremic rats (P = .006). Serum calcium was higher in calcitriol group compared with chronic kidney disease group. Paricalcitol caused less hyperphosphatemia in non-uremic rats than calcitriol.

Conclusion: Paricalcitol and calcitriol therapy may prevent chronic kidney disease progression in uremic rats as they restore vitamin D metabolism during the disease.

Cite this article as: Narlı Özdemir Z, Garip Acar A, Hur E, Şen S, Duman S. Paricalcitol and calcitriol prevent progression of chronic kidney disease in uremic rats. Turk J Nephrol. 2022;31(3):194-201.