Participation of renin-angiotensin system on renal morphology in response to salt overload in mice

• Grant number: 14/25184-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Lacchini
• Grantee: Lucas D'Andréa Pereira Sousa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Many studies have made a connection between salt overload and blood pressure, specially with cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an intake of 5g of salt, but the average of many countries, including Brazil, is beyond 10g. Thus, our hypothesis is that the salt intake may influence the kidney's capacity of respond and adapt to this saline overload in pathological and physiological levels. Therefore, our goal is to analyze the saline overload effects on non-hemodynamic levels, independent of alterations on blood pressure. In addition to, we wish to analyze if there are alterations on renin-angiotensin system, trying to establish a link between tissue damage and tissue repair by the renin-angiotensin components. To make it possible, male mice C57BI/6 will be threatened with 1% saline overload on drinking water during 2 and 12 weeks, besides the control group, that will have free access to drinking water without salt overload. It will be made a weekly control of weight, water intake and urine excretion on metabolic cage. By the end of the protocol, we will measure blood pressure and cardiac frequency by tail plethysmography. Serum and urine proteins and ions will be analyzed by biochemical methods and we will make morphological analyzes to evaluate collagen deposition on glomeruli and Bowman's capsule. All the results will be related to the study of renin angiotensin system through immunohistochemistry.