Nephroblastoma and renal mesenchymal tumor induced in rats by N-nitrosoethyl- and N-nitrosomethylurea

Rats treated prenatally with N-nitrosoethylurea or with N-nitrosomethylurea developed nephroblastomas, renal mesenchymal tumors and epithelial tumors (adenomas and carcinomas) of the kidneys. 15 nephroblastomas and 59 mesenchymal tumors were examined histologically. Nephroblastomas were encapsulated growths composed of dark cells, forming primitive tubules similar to those seen in the rat embryonal kidney and in human Wilms' tumor. Mesenchymal renal tumors showed an infiltrative growth and consisted of fibroblast-like cells, smooth muscles and angiomatous areas with the engulfed pre-existing tubules. These growths are similar to the mesenchymal renal tumors induced in the rat by N-nitrosodimethylamine. Nephroblastoma and mesenchymal renal tumor are considered to be separated entities, the first corresponsing to the epithelial variant of human Wilms' tumor and the second to congenital mesoblastic nephroma.