Effects of soy protein isolate feeding on severe kidney damage in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats

This study assessed the effects of soy protein isolate (SPI) on severe kidney damage in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt-treated obese Zucker rats. These rats underwent heminephrectomy and were fed either casein or SPI diet for 12 weeks. From weeks 8 to 10 of the experiment, kidney damage was induced by biweekly injection of 25 mg/kg DOCA and administration of 0.5% NaCl (w/v) ad libitum. Urinary protein and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase excretions of SPI rats were much lower than those of casein rats at weeks 1 (p < 0.01) and 2 (p < 0.05) after DOCA treatment. Abnormal mineral excretions induced by DOCA treatment in casein rats were hardly detected in SPI rats. Severe atrophy of tubular epithelium and some flattened/detached renal tubules were also observed in casein rats, but not in SPI rats. These results indicate that consecutive treatment of SPI protects against renal dysfunction, particularly tubulointerstitial nephritis, in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats.