Chronic renal failure induces genetic instability in multiple organs of Wistar rats.
BACKGROUND
Taking into consideration the strong evidence for a relationship between DNA damage and carcinogenesis, the aim of this study was to investigate whether blood, liver, heart, kidney and brain are particularly sensitive organs for DNA damaging during chronic renal disease by the single-cell gel (comet) assay to predict genetic instability induced by this pathological condition.


METHODS
A total of 18 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: negative control (n = 8) and experimental (n = 10), in which was submitted to the 5/6 renal mass ablation by ligation of two or three branches of the left renal artery and total right nephrectomy during 8 weeks.


RESULTS
The results showed that chronic renal disease was able to induce genetic damage in blood, heart, liver and kidney cells as depicted by the mean tail moment. No genetic damage was induced in brain cells, i.e. no significant statistically differences (P > 0.05) were noticed when compared to negative control.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, our results suggest that chronic renal failure could contribute to the damage of DNA at all organs evaluated, except to the brain cells. As DNA damage is an important step in events leading to carcinogenesis, this study represents a relevant contribution to the correct evaluation of the potential health risks associated with kidney disease.
Ribeiro
D A
DA
Department of Biosciences, Federal University of Sao Paulo, UNIFESP, Santos, SP, Brazil. daribeiro@unifesp.br
Campos
R R
RR
Bergamaschi
C T
CT
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D020552:Comet Assay / Q000379:methods; D004249:DNA Damage; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D015415:Biomarkers