Introduction Benefits arising from blueberry (BB) consumption are well-described in type 2 diabetes evolution and inherent complications. Lending further support to this thesis, previous work from our group unequivocally demonstrates… Click to show full abstract
Introduction Benefits arising from blueberry (BB) consumption are well-described in type 2 diabetes evolution and inherent complications. Lending further support to this thesis, previous work from our group unequivocally demonstrates BB supplementation efficacy to manage prediabetic hepatic liver steatosis. Whether a similar effect also holds truth in early renal impairment is an unsolved issue. Objectives To address blueberry juice (BJ) ability to exert renoprotective effects in experimental prediabetes. Methodology Diet-induced prediabetes [high-sucrose (35% Hsu) and high-fat (60% HF)] was developed in adult male Wistar rats through the ingestion of HSu for 9 weeks supplemented by HF for another 14 weeks (HSuHF, n = 16). On W9, half of the former animals orally received BJ (25g/kg BW, HSuHF+BJ). Control animals (n = 8) received standard diet during the entire protocol. Functional [serum and urinary creatinine, uric acid, glucose; glomerular filtration rate (GFR)], structural [H&E and Oil Red O staining] and molecular [triglycerides content and inflammation (RT-qPCR, WB)] markers of renal injury were assessed along with metabolic profile. Results Even though diet-induced glucose intolerance, insulin insensitivity and plasmatic hypertriglyceridemia were significantly ameliorated upon BJ treatment, this nutraceutical intervention was unable to halt or slow down renal lipidosis and glomerular crescent-like lesions apart from a slight amelioration of both GFR and IL-6 levels in HSuHF-treated rats. Conclusion Unlike previous results clearly demonstrating the ability of BJ nutraceutical intervention to afford protection against metabolic impairment and hepatic steatosis evolution in experimentally diet-induced prediabetes, only a modest renoprotective effect was observed in functional and morphological renal endpoints. Future studies are warranted to dissect the divergent effects of BJ on early liver and kidney impairment.
               
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