PPARalpha agonist fenofibrate protects the kidney from hypertensive injury in spontaneously hypertensive rats via inhibition of oxidative stress and MAPK activity.

Oxidative stress has been shown to play an important role in the development of hypertensive renal injury. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPARalpha) has antioxidant effect. In this study, we demonstrated that fenofibrate significantly reduced proteinuria, inflammatory cell recruitment and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins deposition in the kidney of SHRs without apparent effect on blood pressure. To investigate the mechanisms involved, we found that fenofibrate treatment markedly reduced oxidative stress accompanied by reduced activity of renal NAD(P)H oxidase, increased activity of Cu/Zn SOD, and decreased phosphorylation of p38MAPK and JNK in the kidney of SHRs. Taken together, fenofibrate treatment can protect against hypertensive renal injury without affecting blood pressure by inhibiting inflammation and fibrosis via suppression of oxidative stress and MAPK activity. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.