Development of focal glomerulosclerosis after unilateral nephrectomy in infant rats

Rats unilaterally nephrectomized in infancy (Nx5) or in adulthood (Nx55) and fed a normal (21%) protein diet were studied at 2, 3 and 6 months after surgery with regard to glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the development of both albuminuria and focal glomerulosclerosis (FGS) in the remnant kidney. Nx rats were compared with sham-operated animals (S) of corresponding age. The incidence of FGS never exceeded 1.4% in S rats. In Nx5 rats the incidence of FGS was not increased at 2 and 3 months after surgery whereas it was significantly higher (range 10%-27%) than in S rats 6 months after surgery. Urinary albumin excretion was significantly increased in Nx5 rats 2 months after surgery and was even higher 6 months after surgery. In Nx55 rats the incidence of FGS was the same as in Nx5 rats 2, 3 and 6 months after surgery, but urinary albumin excretion was significantly lower than in Nx5 rats 6 months after surgery. The GFR expressed per unit of body weight decreased in both Nx5 and S5 rats from 2 to 6 months, but the decrease was more pronounced in Nx5 rats than in S5 rats. The GFR factored by kidney weight was significantly lower in Nx5 than in any of the other groups at the 6-month follow-up study. We conclude that, as in adults, when unilateral nephrectomy is performed in infancy, FGS will develop in the remnant kidney. More pronounced albuminuria and reduction of GFR may indicate that the glomerular lesion is more severe in rats nephrectomized in infancy than in adulthood.