Ceroid accumulation in rat kidneys caused by uptake of ferric nitrilotriacetate

Ceroid accumulation in kidneys caused by lipid peroxidation in vivo was studied during intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe3+-NTA) solution, which is a weak iron chelate compound and generates free radicals in the presence of oxygen. Fe3+-NTA solution (0.5-0.75 mg/100 g body weight) was injected into rats (n=6) for 4 days a week. After 2 weeks of Fe3+-NTA loading, the rats were not treated for 1 month as a rest interval, and then the iron loading was repeated for 35 weeks including the rest intervals. Two rats in each group, Fe3+-NTA loading and control, were sacrificed at 19 and 40 weeks of age, and portions of a kidney and the liver of each rat were fixed in 10% formalin buffered to pH 7.0 for the histological studies. We found ceroid accumulates in greater amounts and more quickly within macrophages and epithelial cells of proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney and Kupffer cells of the liver in iron-loaded rats.