High-calorie diet results in reversible obesity-related glomerulopathy in adult zebrafish regardless of dietary fat

Abstract

Obesity is a risk factor for kidney disease. The role of diet in this association is difficult to study in humans. In this study, zebrafish fed a high-calorie diet, regardless of fat macronutrient composition, developed glomerulomegaly, foot process effacement, and filtration barrier dysfunction, recapitulating the changes seen in humans with obesity. Calorie restriction reversed the changes. This work suggests that macronutrient composition may be less important than total calories in the development of obesity-related kidney disease.

A zebrafish model of diabetic nephropathy shows hyperglycemia, proteinuria and activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway

“…Compared to these two mutant models, our zebrafish Disease Models & Mechanisms • DMM • Accepted manuscript DN model exhibited not only three particular histopathological characteristics of DNglomerular hypertrophy, mesangial expansion, and GBM thickening (Tervaert et al, 2010), but also human-like DN end-stage symptoms, such as massive proteinuria and glomerular sclerosis (Alicic et al, 2017). In addition, a notable study evaluated the effects of a highcalorie diet on adult wild-type zebrafish (Zeitler et al, 2022). As a result, high-calorie dietfed fish develop glomerular filtration barrier dysfunction and podocyte injury without elevated fasting blood glucose levels.…”