Zinc deficiency aggravates tubulointerstitial nephropathy caused by ureteral obstruction.
Ureteral ligation causes tubulointerstitial nephropathy characterized by the tubular dilatation, the interstitial expansion, and a leukocyte infiltration into the tubulointerstitium. The present study was designed to explore whether zinc (Zn) deficiency affects the development of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced tubulointerstitial nephropathy. Compared to rats fed a standard diet, rats fed a Zn-deficient diet exhibited a greater influx of leukocytes into the tubulointerstitium of the cortex of the obstructed kidney 3 d following UUO. Furthermore, rats fed a Zn-deficient diet showed a slight invasion of leukocytes into the tubulointerstitium of the cortex of the contralateral nonobstructed kidney (CLK), although there was no infiltration of leukocytes into the CLK of rats fed a standard diet. These histological changes, however, were ameliorated by administration of enalapril, an angiotensin (ANG) I-converting enzyme inhibitor. Thus, it is suggested that Zn deficiency aggravates UUO-induced tubulointerstitial nephropathy via an increase in the action of ANG II.
Yanagisawa
H
H
Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical School, Japan.
Nodera
M
M
Wada
O
O
D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000150:complications*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency*
D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc