Telmisartan Provides Better Renal Protection Than Valsartan in a Rat Model of Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), telmisartan, and valsartan were compared for renal protection in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) fed high fat diet. We hypothesized that in cardiometabolic syndrome, telmisartan an ARB with peroxisome proliferators activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) activity will offer better renal protection. METHODS: SHR were fed either normal (SHR-NF, 7% fat) or high fat (SHR-HF, 36% fat) diet and treated with an ARB for 10 weeks. RESULTS: Blood pressure was similar between SHR-NF (190 ± 3 mm Hg) and SHR-HF (192 ± 4 mm Hg) at the end of the 10 week period. Telmisartan and valsartan decreased blood pressure to similar extents in SHR-NF and SHR-HF groups. Body weight was significantly higher in SHR-HF (368 ± 5 g) compared to SHR-NF (328 ± 7 g). Telmisartan but not valsartan significantly reduced the body weight gain in SHR-HF. Telmisartan was also more effective than valsartan in improving glycemic and lipid status in SHR-HF. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), an inflammatory marker, was higher in SHR-HF (24 ± 2 ng/d) compared to SHR-NF (14 ± 5 ng/d). Telmisartan reduced MCP-1 excretion in both SHR-HF and SHR-NF to a greater extent than valsartan. An indicator of renal injury, urinary albumin excretion increased to 85 ± 8 mg/d in SHR-HF compared to 54 ± 9 mg/d in SHR-NF. Telmisartan (23 ± 5 mg/d) was more effective than valsartan (45 ± 3 mg/d) in lowering urinary albumin excretion in SHR-HF. Moreover, telmisartan reduced glomerular damage to a greater extent than valsartan in the SHR-HF. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data demonstrate that telmisartan was more effective than valsartan in reducing body weight gain, renal inflammation, and renal injury in a rat model of cardiometabolic syndrome.