Preventive role of estradiol on kidney injury induced by renal ischemia-reperfusion in male and female rats

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (RIR) is the main cause of renal failure. The incidence of RIR injury seems to be gender-related due to female sex hormone; estrogen. This study was designed to investigate the protective role of estrogen against RIR injury in male and ovariectomized female rats. Thirty-nine Wistar rats were used in this study as male and ovariectomized female rats in the sham-operated, RIR, and estradiol-treated plus RIR groups. The RIR was induced by clamping the renal vessels for 45 min and then 24 h of reperfusion. All animals fnally were sacrifced for the measurements. The serum levels of creatinine and blood urea nitrogen and kidney tissue damage score signifcantly increased in both male and female RIR rats (P < 0.05). Estradiol however signifcantly attenuated theses parameters (P < 0.05) toward normal levels in female (P < 0.05), but not in male rats. Kidney weight increased in both genders and estradiol intensifed it in the male rats (P < 0.05). Uterus weight was increased by estradiol in female rats (P < 0.05) and testis weight did not alter in male rats. Estradiol demonstrated a protective role against RIR injury in female rats; however, estradiol as an antioxidant could not protect the male kidney from RIR injury.