Influence of dietary protein levels on survival of rats following kidney irradiation.
Concern about radiation induced nephropathy results in a dose limiting constraint in some applications of radiation therapy. An understanding of the etiology of radiation therapy. An understanding of the etiology of radiation nephropathy is essential if attempts to alter the time course or extent of the pathology are to be successful. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of this disease process, and to see if it could be altered by dietary manipulation, young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were unilaterally nephrectomized, after which the remaining kidney was exteriorized and exposed to 14 Gy of X rays. Non-irradiated control animals had their remaining kidney exteriorized for a comparable length of time. Five days after irradiation, the animals were switched from standard lab rations to isocaloric diets of differing protein content. Diets used included 4%, 20% and 50% protein and the 4% and 20% diets given in combination with 0.9% NaCl drinking water. For all the diet groups, irradiated animals had median survival times shorter than their corresponding non-irradiated controls. Within the irradiated groups, the ranking of the median survival times was: 4% + 0.9% NaCl greater than 4% greater than 20% + 0.9% NaCl = 20% greater than 50%. The differences in survival among the irradiated groups were significant at the 0.01 level. These data indicate that kidney response to irradiation can be altered by manipulation of dietary protein levels. Such information may have clinical application.
D000818:Animals; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D004044:Dietary Proteins