Preventive Role of Estradiol on Kidney Injury Induced by Renal Ischemia‑Reperfusion in Male and Female Rats

Background: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusions: 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.