MO062CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, INFLAMMATION, AND HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION: A RENAL-CARDIO AXIS?

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims Inflammation contributes to progressive renal dysfunction and increases cardiovascular mortality of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The association of CKD and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is observed in up to 50%, suggesting the possibility of a shared pathophysiology. CKD and HFpEF are commonly associated with inflammation. Using a novel swine model of CKD and HFpEF, we propose that a renal-cardio inflammatory axis drives diastolic dysfunction and HFpEF in CKD and that targeting renal inflammation will improve cardiac health and reduce cardiovascular risk. Methods We developed a biopolymer-fused peptide of nuclear-factor kappa (NFk)B (ELP-p50i) that we show it blocks its activity in vitro and in vivo. NFkB is a key pro-inflammatory transcription factor that is upregulated in CKD. To test our hypothesis, we induced CKD in 10 pigs via bilateral renovascular disease and dyslipidemia. Pigs were observed for 6 weeks, renal hemodynamics quantified (multi-detector CT), then randomized to single intra-renal ELP-p50i or placebo (n=5 each), and studies repeated 8 weeks later accompanied by echocardiographic assessment. Blood pressure was continuously measured (telemetry). Blood was collected to measure circulating TNF-α and biomarkers of HF (ANP, BNP). Furthermore, kidneys and hearts were used to quantify expression of factors involved in NFkB signaling. Results CKD led to a significant loss of renal function, accompanied by left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction with pEF, increased renal mRNA expression of TNF-α and canonical and non-canonical mediators of NFkB signaling, and elevated systemic TNF-α, ANP, and BNP, indicating renal and cardiac dysfunction. Most of these changes were improved after intra-renal ELP-p50i, although cardiac inflammatory signaling was unchanged (Figure) suggesting the kidney as a source of inflammation that can target the heart in CKD. Conclusion We show that a renal anti-inflammatory strategy via targeted inhibition of renal NFkB improves renal and cardiac function in CKD, suggesting an inflammatory renal-cardio axis. The translational pathological features of CKD and HFpEF combined with the predictive power of the model may contribute to advance the field towards new treatments targeting renal inflammation to reduce cardiovascular risk in CKD.