The effects of permethrin on the ultrastructural morphology of rat kidney: electron microscopic study

A pesticide, Permethrin, that has low toxicity and widespread usage, is the most frequently detected in house dust. This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-dose permethrin exposure on the ultrastructural nephrotoxicity of rat kidneys at the microscopic level. 28 Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to four groups. Doses of 20 mg, 40 mg, and 75 mg/kg permethrin were administered to the experimental groups via gavage for 2 weeks. The control group received corn oil. After the experiment, kidneys collected from the sacrificed animals were fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde and embedded in epon. Semi-thin sections were evaluated via light microscope, and thin sections were examined with a transmission electron microscope. Semi-thin sections showed brush border loss in experimental groups, and also the cellular arrangement of the tubules was altered. Thin sections of the control group, proximal tubules, and podocyte cells of glomerulus were intact and showed normal morphology. Cytoplasmic vacuolization, degenerated mitochondria, and lysosome accumulation were observed in tubule cells in experimental groups, increasing in a dose-dependent manner. Autophagic vacuoles were present in the 40 and 75 mg groups. Necrotic cells were present in the 75 mg group. Marked endoplasmic reticulum dilatation and ribosome loss were observed in the podocytes of glomerulus of the experimental groups at higher doses. The highest group showed necrotic cells, and the glomerular basement membrane structure was disrupted. Our findings suggest that low-dose, short-term permethrin exposure has a toxic effect and negatively affects renal ultrastructure.