
Objective: The present study aimed to clarify the role of visfatin in the pathogenesis of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) complicated Metabolic Syndrome (MS). Materials and methods: 30 adult albino rats were included. Rats were divided into three equal groups: group I: served as control; group II: rats received high fat diet (HFD); group III: rats received visfatin injection. The serum levels of visfatin, sVCAM-1, insulin and fasting Serum glucose (FSG) levels were investigated for all groups. Moreover, proteinurea, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and histopathological examination were detected. Results: Results showed a development of major systemic alterations similar to human MS, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension in rats on a HFD. These systemic changes were accompanied by renal pathophysiological alterations including, high creatinin levels, proteinurea, and atrophy of the glomeruli and sclerosis of the glomerular capillaries. Injection of visfatin was associated with lower levels of FSG, insulin, and HOMA-IR in comparison with both control and HFD-fed groups and high levels of creatinin, proteinurea, and sVCAM-1 in comparison with control. Moreover, mild glomerular atrophy and sclerosis was detected. Visfatin was positively correlated with proteinurea, and sVCAM-1 in both HFD-fed group and visfatin injected group. Conclusion: Visfatin plays an important role in the development of renal injury associated with MS. As it increased the sVCAM-1 level that is considered as a biomarker for endothelial dysfunction and it also caused glomerular sclerosis.