Lipemic Nephrosis in Rats

Abstract

Six-teen rabbits were repeatedly injected intraperit. and 3 intra-musc. with renal extracts from rats. Six rabbits were treated with renal cortex, 7 with renal medulla, and 6 with extracts from undissected kidneys. All sera from rabbits treated with cortex and whole kidney extracts produced chronic renal disease in rats. Among 6 sera from rabbits treated with medulla, only 1 was about equally nephrotoxic, 2 produced a mild, transient proteinuria, and 3 were inactive. The ability of medulla to produce nephrotoxic sera was not enhanced by injecting rabbits with a mixture of 2 parts of a 20% medulla suspension with 1 part of a 20% rat spleen suspension. Renal disease from intraven. injn. of the various nephrotoxic sera was obtained in 103 rats. Production of disease depended on dosage and individual susceptibility. Massive proteinuria occurred 1-2 days after injn. After 1-2 wks. marked ascites and edema developed in 33 animals. In 35 rats observed, spontaneous cures occurred in 13, remissions and relapses occurred in 12, and 10 rats had continuous proteinuria for up to 11 mos. Hypertensive episodes occurred. Severe hypoproteinemia and marked hyperlipemia were regularly observed. High NPN values were seen when rats were injected with lethal doses of nephrotoxic sera. The conspicuous renal pathology was the presence of much protein in the nephrons. There was fatty degeneration, chiefly of the convoluted tubules, and lipemia was found in many cases.