Induction of Renal 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid by Clofibrate Attenuates High-Fat Diet-Induced Hypertension in Rats

This study compared renal hemodynamics, the expression of CYP4A isoforms [the enzymes for 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) production], and tubular sodium transporters in male rats fed a high-fat (HF) or control diet for 10 weeks. We also studied the effect of treatment with clofibrate, a CYP4A inducer, on sodium retention and renal function and on CYP4A expression in HF rats. HF rats had higher blood pressure (BP), renal plasma flow, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), but no significant change in renal vascular resistance. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that CYP4A1 and CYP4A8 expression was significantly decreased in the renal cortex of HF rats. Western blot analysis showed up-regulation of expression of the alpha-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (alpha-ENaC), the beta-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (beta-ENaC), sodium/hydrogen exchanger (NHE)-3, and the renal outer medulla K(+) channel (ROMK) in HF rats, whereas expression of the gamma-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel and the alpha1-subunit of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase remained unchanged. Thus, HF treatment caused the reduction of renal CYP4A1 and CYP4A8 expression, whereas the increases in alpha-ENaC, beta-ENaC, NHE-3, and ROMK expression in renal tubules may have contributed sodium retention and hypertension in HF rats. Furthermore, clofibrate treatment (240 mg/kg/day) caused the decrease of BP and GFR and the attenuation of cumulative sodium balance in HF rats. The attenuation of sodium retention by clofibrate treatment is linked to decreased expression of NHE-3 in renal cortex. Clofibrate induction of CYP4A expression occurred in proximal tubules and in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle but not in renal microvessels. This induction correlated with the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARalpha) in renal tubules. Therefore, these results suggest that the effects of clofibrate on sodium retention and blood pressure regulation in HF rats may be due to the induction of renal tubular 20-HETE production through the PPARalpha pathway.