Reduction of risk following endotoxin injection in unilaterally nephrectomized rats

In this study the consequences of unilateral nephrectomy on the survival rate of rats were examined under severe pathological conditions including injection of a lethal dose of endotoxin (exogenic LPS), cecal puncture (endogenic LPS), injection of LPS concomitantly with renal ischemia as well as a simultaneous injection of LPS and glycerol to the leg muscle in order to induce acute renal failure. Sham operated rats did not exhibit higher survival rates than the nephrectomized rats. In most cases there was even a decrease in the percent age rate of deaths in the nephrectomized rats. Improvement in the resistance of the nephrectomized rats to pathophysiological stress occurred when stress was induced immediately following nephrectomy as well as when stress was induced 30 days following nephrectomy. No significant differences were found in blood pressure, heart rate, hematocrit, rate of respiration and body temperature in the nephrectomized rats as compared to rats that did not undergo nephrectomy. A possible explanation for our results is that the solitary kidney excretes more LPS into the urine.