Eicosanoid Inhibitors as Therapeutic Targets for Metabolic Syndrome Related Kidney Disease

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide and is now a major healthcare problem. Likewise, there are a number of cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic factors associated with obesity and this clustering contributes to the disease known as metabolic syndrome or syndrome X. Metabolic syndrome over a number of years can cause end organ damage resulting in morbidity and mortality. Metabolic syndrome and obesity are major contributing factors to the increase in nephropathy and end stage renal disease. Interestingly, an imbalance between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes in the kidney may contribute to the nephropathy associated with metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have demonstrated that COX-2 inhibition decreases renal cytokine levels and glomerular injury in obese rats. Therefore, COX-2 and CYP450 metabolites are therapeutic targets for the treatment of renal disease related to metabolic syndrome.