Chronic fish oil supplementation partially reverses renal alterations in mice fed with a high-fat diet

The objective of this study was to investigate the alterations in renal morphology and function in an animal model of obesity, and to determine the possible effect of fish oil (FO) supplementation on these alterations. Six-week-old male mice were fed during eight weeks with regular rodent chow (R) or a high-fat diet (HFD), 53.09% fat. After this, they were supplemented orally for 30 days with FO. The weight gain of HFD group was almost three times higher than R. Albuminuria induced by HFD was significantly reduced by FO. The reduction in fractional sodium excretion (FENa+) observed in HFD group was reversed by FO. The HFD was able to increase in almost 100% the concentration of TNF-α in renal tissue, an effect reversed by FO. Intrarenal expression of vimentin was significantly higher in tubulointerstitial cells of HFD group, an effect reversed by FO. In summary, FO partially reverses renal alterations induced by an HFD.