Combined hydroxyurea and ETA receptor blockade reduces renal injury in the humanized sickle cell mouse

Aim: The objective of this study is to determine if ambrisentan (ETA selective antagonist) and hydroxyurea (HU) treatment has a synergistic effect on renal injury in SCN when compared to HU treatment alone. The premise of the study is based on recent findings show that endothelin-1 (ET-1) contributes to the pathophysiology of nephropathy in sickle cell disease (SCD) and that ETA receptor blockade improves renal function and protects against renal injury. Hydroxyurea (HU) is commonly prescribed for the treatment of SCD and has been shown to reduce renal injury in patients with SCD.