[Effect of partial nephrectomy on mercuric chloride-induced acute renal failure]

We investigated the effect of partial nephrectomy on mercuric chloride (HgCl2)-induced acute renal failure (ARF) in rats. HgCl2 (2 mg/kg) was subcutaneously injected to male Wistar rats 2 days or 2 weeks after either partial nephrectomy or sham surgery. Both deterioration of renal function (serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, and fractional excretion of sodium) and renal tubular damage due to HgCl2-induced ARF were inhibited by 5/6 nephrectomy. A moderate inhibitory effect was also noted by uninephrectomy. The levels of renal tissue ATP and total nucleotide did not increase 12 and 48 hours after uninephrectomy. These results suggest that partial nephrectomy is effective in suppressing the development of HgCl2-induced ARF. The mechanisms of the protection are not explained completely by a consequence of hypertrophy or an acceleration of intracellular energy metabolism. Intrarenal blood flow redistribution may be involved in one of the mechanisms.