title: Decrease in laminin content and protein excretion rate after five sixths nephrectomy and low-dose irradiation in the rat.
abstract: The effect of low-dose irradiation on laminin distribution and urine protein excretion in the remnant rat kidney has been studied. The rat remnant kidney formed after 5/6 nephrectomy is an experimental model of chronic renal failure. In the remnant kidney, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis is developed characterized by focal or segmental sclerosis in glomeruli, alterations in the tubules and thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. Low dose irradiation has been presumed to suppress sclerotic processes. In this study 24 male Wistar rats were subdivided into the nephrectomized group, nephrectomized and irradiated groups (1 or 3 Grey), and healthy control group. Animals were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 8 weeks after beginning the experiment. Laminin immunohistochemical staining was found along the tubular and glomerular basement membranes in all experimental groups, but with varying intensity. Laminin content in the basement membranes was decreased in early stages (week 2), especially after irradiation followed by increase during the later stages with relatively high levels at the end of the experiment (week 8). Irradiation at a dose of 3 Grey decreased protein excretion compared to the nephrectomized rats at all stages, while 1 Grey dose was ineffective. Based on decreased proteinuria we conclude that moderate low-dose irradiation has beneficial effects on the rat remnant kidney and that laminin in basement membranes is probably not the most crucial component in regulating membrane permeability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 51014 Tartu, Estonia. mariaun@ut.ee
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aunapuu
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arend
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kolts
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egerbacher
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ots
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007668:Kidney / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D007686:Kidney Tubules, Distal / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D009392:Nephrectomy; D011507:Proteinuria; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007797:Laminin