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Comparison of the effects of l-carnitine and α-tocopherol on acute ureteral obstruction-induced renal oxidative imbalance and altered energy metabolism in rats

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Abstract

The suppression of renal energy metabolism during ureteral obstruction is a well-known phenomenon; however, its exact responsible mechanism(s) and association with simultaneously induced renal oxidative stress have not been clarified. This study examined the improving effects of l-carnitine, a facilitating cofactor for mitochondrial oxidation of fatty-acids as well as a scavenger of free-radicals, and α-tocopherol as the most potent antioxidant on renal metabolic defect and oxidative stress induced by acute unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). The left ureter was ligated in ether-anaesthetised rats, in which l-carnitine, α-tocopherol or their vehicles were intraperitoneally injected in four different groups. After elapsing 24 h of UUO-induction, both kidneys were removed and stored at −80°C. There were also two sham-operated and control groups. The kidney samples were assessed to measure the levels of ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) for evaluating their redox state, as well as, their amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) by using luciferin–luciferase method. As much as 24 h of UUO in vehicle-treated groups caused increases in MDA and ADP, but decreases in FRAP, ATP, and ATP/ADP of the obstructed kidney with respect to those of the sham group. α-tocopherol normalised the levels of MDA and FRAP but did not affect the altered amounts of energy metabolic indices in the obstructed kidney, while l-carnitine could ameliorate all of them. These findings suggest that oxidative stress may not involve in development of acute UUO-induced suppression of renal aerobic metabolism, and probably reduction of energy substrates is a responsible factor.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Research Council of Shiraz University (Medical Sciences), Shiraz, Iran for the financial support of this study (grant number: 84-2434). The authors state no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, The Medical School, Shiraz University (Medical Sciences), 71365-1689, Shiraz, Iran

    S. Mostafa Shid Moosavi

  2. Department of Physiology, The Medical School, Arak University (Medical Sciences), 38481-76941, Arak, Iran

    Saeed C. Ashtiyani

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, 14115-175, Tehran, Iran

    Saman Hosseinkhani

  4. Department of Surgery (Urology Division), The Medical School, Shiraz University (Medical Sciences), 71365-1689, Shiraz, Iran

    Mehdi Shirazi

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  1. S. Mostafa Shid Moosavi
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Correspondence to S. Mostafa Shid Moosavi.

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Moosavi, S.M.S., Ashtiyani, S.C., Hosseinkhani, S. et al. Comparison of the effects of l-carnitine and α-tocopherol on acute ureteral obstruction-induced renal oxidative imbalance and altered energy metabolism in rats. Urol Res 38, 187–194 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-009-0238-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00240-009-0238-9

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