Gender Related Differences in Kidney Injury Induced by Mercury

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Mar໚ H. Hazelhoff¹  Romina P. Bulacio¹ 

[1] Pharmacology, Faculty of Biochemist and Pharmaceutical Sciences, National University of Rosario, CONICET, Rosario 2000, Argentina;

关键词: sex differences;    kidneys;    organic anion transporters;    Oat1;    Oat3;    acute renal failure;    mercuric chloride;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms130810523

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The aim of this study was to determine if there are sex-related differences in the acute kidney injury induced by HgCl₂ since female rats express lower levels of renal Oat1 and Oat3 (transporters involved in renal uptake of mercury) as compared with males. Control males and females and Hg-treated male and female Wistar rats were employed. Animals were treated with HgCl₂ (4 mg/kg body weight (b.w.), intraperitoneal (i.p.)) 18 h before the experiments. HgCl₂ induced renal impairment both in male and female rats. However, female rats showed a lower renal impairment than male rats. The observed increase in kidney weight/body weight ratio seen in male and female rats following HgCl₂ treatment was less in the female rats. Urine volume and creatinine clearance decreased and Oat5 urinary excretion increased in both males and females, but to a lesser degree in the latter. Urinary alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and histological parameters were modified in male but not in female rats after HgCl₂ administration. These results indicate that the lower Oat1 and Oat3 expression in the kidney of females restricts Hg uptake into renal cells protecting them from this metal toxicity. These gender differences in renal injury induced by mercury are striking and also indicate that Oat1 and Oat3 are among the main transporters responsible for HgCl₂-induced renal injury.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.