CALL FOR PAPERS Sex and Gender Differences in Renal Physiology Gender differences in adenine-induced chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular complications in rats

utes to differences in incidence and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated cardiovascular disease. To induce kidney damage in male and female Wistar rats (n 12/group), a 0.25 % adenine diet for 16 wk was used. Kidney function (blood urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine, proteinuria) and structure (glomerular damage, tubulointerstitial atrophy, fibrosis, inflammation); cardiovas-cular function (blood pressure, ventricular stiffness, vascular re-sponses, echocardiography) and structure (cardiac fibrosis); plasma testosterone and estrogen concentrations; and protein expression for oxidative stress [heme oxygenase-1, inflammation (TNF-), fibrosis (transforming growth factor-), ERK1/2, and estrogen receptor- (ER-)] were compared in males and females. Adenine-fed females had less decline in kidney function than adenine-fed males, although kidney atrophy, inflammation, and fibrosis were similar. Plasma estrogen concentrations increased and plasma testosterone concentra