Acute uremia produced in rats by nephrotoxic chemicals is alleviated by protein deficient diet.
Rats injected with mercuric chloride develop an acute renal tubular necrosis with uremia, which is frequently lethal. Pretreatment for 3 or 7 days with a protein-free diet reduces the mortality, the clinical signs (tremor), and the severity of renal tubular necrosis, and ameliorates the uremic chemical findings in the serum. Similar results followed injection of a nephrotoxic amino acid, D-serine, after pretreatment with a protein-free diet. Indirect evidence suggests that induction of metallothionein may be involved, at least in the experiments with mercury. Acute uremia produced by nephrotoxic chemicals may be useful for further studies of the role of nutrition in uremia, while avoiding the surgical procedures and prolonged observations required for the "remnant kidney" models.
Levine
Seymour
S
Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA. levines@nki.rfmh.org
Saltzman
Arthur
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007683:Kidney Tubular Necrosis, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D008627:Mercuric Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013395:Sucrose / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D014511:Uremia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000178:diet therapy*
D015415:Biomarkers; D010710:Phosphates; D008627:Mercuric Chloride; D013395:Sucrose; D014508:Urea; D008668:Metallothionein