ASN's Mission

To create a world without kidney diseases, the ASN Alliance for Kidney Health elevates care by educating and informing, driving breakthroughs and innovation, and advocating for policies that create transformative changes in kidney medicine throughout the world.

learn more

Contact ASN

1401 H St, NW, Ste 900, Washington, DC 20005

email@asn-online.org

202-640-4660

The Latest on X

Kidney Week

Abstract: FR-PO1099

Dietary Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil Increases Expression of GPR84 in Kidneys of Mice with CKD

Session Information

Category: Health Maintenance, Nutrition, and Metabolism

  • 1500 Health Maintenance, Nutrition, and Metabolism

Authors

  • Horikawa, Tsuyoshi, Prefectural university of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
  • Yoshida, Takuya, Prefectural university of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
Background

Kidney injury and fibrosis are aggravated by the dysfunction of energy metabolism in the kidneys. Although medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are energy sources that can be quickly utilized for energy production, it is unclear whether they are useful for improving the pathology of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary MCT oil on the kidneys of a 5/6 nephrectomy-induced CKD mouse model.

Methods

Mice were divided into CKD and control groups, and approximately half of the animals in each group were fed a diet containing MCT oil for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, renal fibrosis was evaluated using Masson’s trichrome staining. Gene levels of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured using quantitative (q)PCR. G-protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 84, a receptor for medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining and qPCR.

Results

GPR84 expression increased in the kidneys of the MCT-fed CKD group. However, the markers for inflammation, TNF-α, and IL-6 mRNAs did not differ between CKD and MCT oil-fed CKD groups. Furthermore, renal function and glomerular fibrosis did not differ between CKD and MCT oil-fed CKD mice.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that dietary MCT oil increases MCFA receptors in the kidney and may contribute to the renal uptake of MCFA. However, dietary MCT oil did not improve renal dysfunction in CKD model mice during this short period. Further studies are needed to elucidate the effects of dietary MCT oil on kidney function.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)