title: D-Galactosamine Intoxication in Experimental Animals: Is it Only an Experimental Model of Acute Liver Failure?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Short-term administration of Galactosamine to experimental animals causes liver damage and acute liver failure (ALF), as well as acute renal failure in some cases. The aim of our study was to describe kidney disorders that developed in the course of galactosamine-induced liver failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a study group administered galactosamine intraperitoneally and a control group administered saline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the animals in the study group developed liver damage and failure within 48 h, with significant increase of alanine (p<0.001), aspartate aminotransferases (p<0.0001), bilirubin (p<0.004), and ammonia (p<0.005) and decrease of albumin (p<0.001) concentrations. Acute renal failure was observed in all test animals, with a significant increase in creatinine (p<0.001) and urea (p<0.001) concentrations and a decrease in creatinine clearance (p<0.0012). Moreover, osmotic clearance (p<0.001), daily natriuresis (p<0.003), and fractional sodium excretion (p<0.016) decreased significantly in this group of animals. The ratio of urine osmolality to serum osmolality did not change. Histopathology of the liver revealed massive necrosis of hepatocytes, whereas renal histopathology showed no changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute renal failure that developed in the course of galactosamine-induced ALF was of a functional nature, with the kidneys retaining the ability to concentrate urine and retain sodium, and there were no renal changes in the histopathological examination. It seems that the experimental model of ALF induced by galactosamine can be viewed as a model of hepatorenal syndrome that occurs in the course of acute damage and liver failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Nephrology and Dialysis, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saracyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zdanowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brytan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Nephrology and Dialysis, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kade
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Nephrology and Dialysis, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patera
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dyrla
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases, Nephrology and Dialysis, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Zofia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wańkowicz
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000473:pathology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013046:Specific Gravity; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D005688:Galactosamine; D000641:Ammonia; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin