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Nephrotoxic effects of chronic administration of microcystins -LR and -YR

Aleksandra Milutinović1, Marko Zivin, Ruda Zorc-Pleskovic

  • 1Institute of Pathophysiology, Medical Faculty of Ljubljana, University of Ljubljana, Zaloska 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Toxicon : Official Journal of the International Society on Toxinology
|October 16, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Chronic exposure to microcystins (MC-LR and MC-YR) causes kidney damage in rats. Cellular changes like cytoskeletal alterations and apoptosis in kidney cells mirror those seen in acute liver injury.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Nephrology
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Acute microcystin-LR (MC-LR) intoxication damages liver cells via cytoskeletal changes, apoptosis, and necrosis.
  • Previous studies suggest chronic exposure to microcystins (MC-LR and MC-YR) can harm both liver and kidneys.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if cytoskeletal alterations, apoptosis, and necrosis are mechanisms behind chronic kidney injury induced by microcystins.
  • To compare the nephrotoxic effects of MC-LR and MC-YR in a chronic rat model.

Main Methods:

  • Rats received intraperitoneal injections of MC-LR or MC-YR (10 microg/kg) every other day for 8 months.
  • Histopathological examination of kidney tissues.
  • Rhodamine-phalloidin labeling to assess actin filaments.
  • Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) to detect apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • Chronic microcystin exposure led to kidney damage, including collapsed glomeruli, thickened basement membranes, and dilated tubules with casts.
  • Cytoplasmic aggregation and accumulation of actin filaments were observed in tubular epithelial cells.
  • An increased number of TUNEL-positive cells (indicating apoptosis) were found in the kidney cortex and medulla.
  • MC-LR induced more severe pathological changes than MC-YR.

Conclusions:

  • The cellular mechanisms causing chronic kidney toxicity from microcystins are similar to those causing acute liver toxicity.
  • Cytoskeletal disruption and apoptosis are key cellular events in microcystin-induced nephrotoxicity.

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