The effects of repeated administration of mercuric chloride on exfoliation of renal tubular cells and urinary glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity in the rat

Development of resistance against hexachlorobutadiene in the proximal tubules of young male rat

Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) is a potent nephrotoxin in rodents that can cause degeneration, necrosis and regeneration in renal tubular epithelial cells. Its toxicity is due to its conjugation by glutathione (GSH) to form glutathione S-conjugate, by the enzyme glutathione S-transferase and finally to the related cysteine-conjugate. This metabolite is then actively taken up by kidney and cleared in the renal tubular epithelial cells, rich in beta-lyase, to a reactive thiol derivative that covalently binds to the macromolecules. In this study, different groups of 28-day male Wistar albino (W/A) rats were dosed daily with 25 mg/kg HCBD for 2, 3, 4 and 7 days; control group dosed with corn oil. Data showed that in the 2- and 3-day treated groups there was substantial necrosis to the straight portion of the proximal tubules (pars recta or S3 segment), rich in glutamine transaminase K (GTK/beta-lyase). In the 4-day treated group, the renal proximal tubules had regenerated and showed a basophilic appearance. In animals treated for 7 days, it was observed that the kidney appeared to have returned to normal and had become resistant to further doses of HCBD. To define the time for the kidney to regain susceptibility to HCBD, 18- and 25-day studies with both low (25 mg/kg) and high (100 mg/kg) doses of HCBD (following two initial doses of 25 mg/kg) were performed. In the 18-day study, histopathological examination of the kidneys in animals of this group and also animals in the 25-day study, which received two further doses of HCBD, showed that the severity of kidney damage is much less than in the 2-day treated animals, a clear indication that the tubular cells were still resistant to the low dose of HCBD. Concentration of blood urea nitrogen, as a marker of kidney damage, in these two groups also confirmed the results. In animals re-exposed to the high dose of HCBD, data showed that the susceptibility to HCBD was starting to return.

Effect of different renal glutathione levels on renal mercury disposition and excretion in the rat

Mercury renal disposition has been studied following HgCl2 injection (5.0 mg/kg body wt., s.c.) in controls, diethylmaleate and N-acetylcysteine-treated rats. The different treatments were used to generate statistically different degrees of non-protein sulfhydryls concentration in kidneys. Diethylmaleate (4 mmol/kg body wt., i.p.) diminished kidney glutathione levels to 25% and N-acetylcysteine (2 mmol/kg body wt., i.p.) increased kidney non-protein sulfhydryls levels up to 75% compared with new controls. The amount of mercury in the kidneys, the mercury excretion rate in urine and the mercury plasma disappearance curves were calculated during 3 h post HgCl2 injection. BUN was measured in plasma at the same time period to determine the onset of kidney damage. The results indicate a higher HgCl2 renal clearance in N-acetylcysteine-treated rats compared to controls and less renal mercury accumulation. The data agree with diminished renal toxicity. On the other hand, renal mercury accumulation was higher and mercury renal clearance lower in diethylmaleate-treated animals, associated with higher renal toxicity. The results suggest that non-protein sulfhydryl levels (principally glutathione) might determine renal accumulation of mercury as well as its elimination rate and hence might enhance or mitigate the nephrotoxicity induced by the metal.

Assessment of renal function and damage in animal species. A review of the current approach of the academic, governmental and industrial institutions represented by the Animal Clinical Chemistry Association

There are a wide variety of laboratory tests available to assess damage to and functional impairment of the kidneys, although the effectiveness of these tests varies greatly depending upon the site specificity of the damage and to a lesser extent upon the animal species involved. Several traditional tests of renal dysfunction and damage, including plasma creatinine and urea, and urinalysis (dipstick and/or quantitative protein), can be used in the first instance to detect nephrotoxicity. A second tier of specific, targetted indicators (concentration test, urinary enzymes, clearance of analytes, specific proteins, etc.) may then be applied to identify further the site of the lesion and the functional status of the kidneys. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) may be estimated from the clearance of exogenous and endogenous substances. The difficulty in obtaining accurately timed urine samples limits the value of these tests in small animals, although methods that do not involve urine collection are available. The kidney is the origin of several enzymes found in urine that can be used to monitor the toxic effects of chemicals and therapeutic substances. Selective measurement of enzyme activities in urine can be used to detect the site of the renal lesion after traditional tests have established the presence of renal injury. Separation of proteins in urine by electrophoretic techniques may also be used to discriminate damage to different parts of the nephron. Renal cell excretion in urine is a sensitive but unreliable indicator of acute damage to the proximal tubule. The rate of cell excretion is not a good predictor of the severity of tubular injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of N-benzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate on the renal toxicity produced by subacute exposure to cadmium in rats

The effect of N-benzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (BGD) on the renal toxicity produced by subacute exposure to cadmium in rats was studied. Rats were injected sc with CdCl2 (1.5 mg Cd/kg) daily for 26 days and thereafter they received 13 injections of BGD (400 mumol/kg) every other day. Urinary protein concentration and AST activity significantly increased after 20 days of cadmium treatment. The pattern of the increase in the urinary excretion of cadmium after cadmium treatment was consistent with that in the urinary excretion of protein and AST. Urinary excretion of amino acid increased gradually after the cessation of cadmium treatment. BGD treatment significantly decreased the urinary excretion of protein, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and amino acid. Plasma AST activity was elevated 8 days after the beginning of cadmium treatment, indicating that the hepatic damage occurred prior to the renal damage. In addition, the microscopic examination of renal tissue from cadmium-treated rats revealed the necrosis of the proximal tubular cells. The cadmium concentrations in liver and kidney were significantly decreased by BGD treatment. The results of this study indicate that BGD treatment is effective in decreasing the cadmium concentrations in liver and kidney, resulting in the therapeutic effect on the cadmium-induced renal damage.

Nephrotoxic effect of tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate on rat urinary metabolites: assessment from 13C-NMR spectra of urines and biochemical and histopathological examinations

Rats received either single oral doses of 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (Tris-BP) or repeated doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day Tris-BP for 7 days. Urine was collected over a 24-hr period and subjected to 13C-NMR and biochemical examinations. Tris-BP produced significant increases of urinary glucose and lactate. Urinary gamma-glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly elevated on the first 2 days of post-treatment. Histopathologically, the kidney exhibited proximal tubular damage at a dose of 200 mg/kg. There was a good correlation among the histopathological, biochemical results, and the 13C-NMR urinary metabolite fingerprints in the assessment of Tris-BP-induced renal damage. The abnormal patterns of metabolite excretion suggested that the lesions produced by Tris-BP were caused by changes in the metabolic function of tubular epithelial cells. The urinary excretion of lactate, enzymes and inhibition of glucose reabsorption from the tubular lumina may be attributed to necrosis and desquamation of the tubular cell.

Increased urinary enzyme excretion in workers exposed to nephrotoxic chemicals

Nephrotoxic chemicals are commonly present in the environment, particularly in the workplace. The level of occupational exposure to these chemicals has been so reduced that exposure to these agents now rarely causes clinically evident acute renal disease. A sensitive indicator of renal injury, urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, was utilized to evaluate persons exposed in the workplace to lead, mercury, or organic solvents, for evidence of renal effects from this exposure. None of the persons had clinically evident renal disease by history, none had hypertension, and all had normal findings on urinalysis. When compared with appropriate control populations, workers exposed to lead, workers exposed to mercury, and two of three groups of workers exposed to organic solvents had significant increases in urinary acetyl glucosaminidase activity. The third group of laboratory workers with low exposure to organic solvents had no increase in urinary acetyl glucosaminidase activity. It is concluded that exposure to environmental nephrotoxins at levels currently considered safe can produce renal effects as manifested by elevations of urinary acetyl glucosaminidase excretion. It is speculated that these renal effects are not always innocuous.

Immunological and biochemical responses in mice treated with mercuric chloride

Adult B6C3F1 male mice were given water containing 3, 15, and 75 ppm mercury (as mercuric chloride) for 7 weeks. There were dose-related increases in blood and kidney mercury levels but only the former showed a time-dependent change. Mercury was not detected in any of the lymphoid organs except for the spleen. There was no mortality and only minimal histological changes occurred in kidneys of dosed mice. Nonspecific toxicity occurred at the 75 ppm dose level, consisting of small differences in body and organ weights, hematological changes, and general enzyme inhibition in the bone marrow and spleen. However, there were specific immunotoxic and biochemical alterations in lymphoid organs of mice treated at the lower doses of mercury. The immunological defects were consistent with altered T-cell function as evidenced by decreases in both T-cell mitogen and mixed leukocyte responses. There was a particular association between the T-cell defects and inhibition of thymic pyruvate kinase, the rate-limiting enzyme for glycolysis. The differences in the pattern of enzyme responses among lymphoid organs implied that two mechanisms of mercury toxicity were operative--one at high concentrations that caused physicochemical enzyme inhibition and another at low concentrations that caused indirect enzyme inhibition.

Developed resistance to mercuric chloride nephrotoxicity: failure to protect against other nephrotoxicants

Daily, oral treatment of rats for 14 days with 5 mg/kg of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) caused hypertrophy of the kidney, but no change in percent tissue water, or serum urea nitrogen (BUN) or creatinine concentrations. Upon histological examination, hypercellularity and increased basophilia of the outer medulla were observed. A single, subcutaneous injection of 20 mg/kg of potassium chromate (K2CrO4) increased kidney size and water content, as well as BUN and serum creatinine concentrations, and produced coagulative necrosis of the proximal convoluted tubules. Intraperitoneal injection of 125 mg/kg of hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD) increased kidney weight, percent water, BUN and serum creatinine, and produced necrosis of the proximal straight tubules in approximately half of the animals. 1 g/kg biphenyl, orally, produced only diffuse tubular swelling. Rats treated with 20 mg/kg K2CrO4, 125 mg/kg HCBD or 1 g/kg biphenyl following 14 days of treatment with 5 mg/kg HgCl2 generally displayed the symptoms of both types of treatment, and the severity of the K2CrO4, HCBD and biphenyl effects were substantially the same as in those without HgCl2 pretreatment. Developed resistance to HgCl2 nephrotoxicity, therefore, appears to have little effect on response of the kidney to other nephrotoxicants.

Ultrastructure of canine urinary bladder carcinoma

Luminal and intraepithelial asymmetric unit membrane plaques were found in the urinary bladder urothelium of normal dogs. Tight junctions were found only at the apical poles of the luminal cells. In four dogs with spontaneous urinary bladder carcinomas the asymmetric unit membrane plaques were replaced by symmetric unit membrane. In the neoplastic luminal cells the tight junctions were partially attenuated. Invasive and metastatic neoplastic cells had some tight junction at the stromal interface. Some gap junctions were seen in the normal urothelium but not in the neoplastic cells. The amount of desmosomes in the neoplastic cells varied according to their direction of differentiation (transitional, squamous or glandular).

Mercury toxicity in the pregnant woman, fetus, and newborn infant. A review

This paper reviews the reported cases of mercury poisoning in pregnancy and the data based on sources of contamination, maternal uptake, and distribution. It analyzes current knowledge of placental transfer of various mercury compounds, fetal uptake, and distribution. It identifies the embryopathic and fetal toxic effects of mercury in general while emphasizing the greater toxicity of methylmercury compounds. Since maternal exposure to methylmercury is primarily through fish consumption, it recommends that women of childbearing age should not consume more than 350 Gm. of fish per week. In addition, they should not be occupationally exposed to air concentrations of mercury vapor greater than 0.01 mg. per cubic meter, of inorganic and phenylmercuric compounds greater than 0.02 mg. per cubic meter, or any detectable concentration of methylmercury.

Renal papillary necrosis and aspirin

Unexplained renal papillary necrosis with macrocytic anaemia was present in a 58-year-old man who had taken approximately 7 tablets of aspirin daily for 2 to 3 years. There was no history of regular consumption of preparations containing phenacetin. The blood urea level was never elevated but the creatinine clearance was moderately reduced; there was impairment of urinary concentration and the excretion of titratable acid and NH4+ was abnormally low following administration of ammonium chloride.

There is considerable clinical and experimental evidence of the nephrotoxicity of salicylates and it is possible that the nephrotoxicity attributed to phenacetin could in many cases be due to the salicylate taken with it.

Frusemide and urinary cell loss

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