Immunochemical study of epidermal growth factor in rats with mercuric chloride-induced acute renal failure.
Urine contains high concentrations of epidermal growth factor (EGF), and EGF is a potent growth promoter for proximal tubular cells. In the present study, urinary and whole-kidney EGF levels were investigated in rats with mercuric chloride (HgCl2)-induced acute renal failure (ARF) using a specific radioimmunoassay for rat EGF to clarify changes in EGF after toxic injury. Male Wistar rats were given HgCl2 (2 mg/kg, subcutaneously) or saline. Serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels were measured for 4 days after toxin administration. Forty-eight hours after toxic injury, urinary immunoreactive EGF levels in HgCl2-treated rats decreased significantly compared with control rats (1.62 +/- 0.15 versus 3.78 +/- 0.21 ng/mg creatinine; p < 0.01). Urinary immunoreactive EGF was at its lowest level 96 h after toxic injury (0.64 +/- 0.06 ng/mg creatinine; p < 0.001). Twenty-four hours after toxic injury, renal immunoreactive EGF levels increased significantly compared with control rats (22.04 +/- 2.12 versus 4.84 +/- 0.70 ng/g wet weight tissue; p < 0.001), and the increase persisted for as long as 48 h (13.36 +/- 1.61 ng/g wet weight tissue; p < 0.05). In summary, urinary immunoreactive EGF levels decreased and renal EGF levels increased in rats with HgCl2-induced ARF. These findings suggest that there is an impairment in the excretion of EGF in rats with HgCl2-induced ARF and that local paracrine production of EGF continues in ARF.
Taira
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Japan.
Yoshimura
A
A
Inui
K
K
Oshiden
K
K
Ideura
T
T
Koshikawa
S
S
Solez
K
K
D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D000818:Animals; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000633:toxicity*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor