Effect of experimental nephrotic syndrome on some trace elements in the liver, skin and bone of rats

ABSTRACT

A renal disease simulating the nephrotic syndrome as seen in infants was induced in rats using anti-rat kidney serum prepared from rabbits. The heavy proteinuria [12.0 +/- 0.26 g/l] produced in nephrotic rats would result in the loss of metallo-proteins in urine. Trace elements Zn++, Mn++, Mo++, Ni++, Cr3+ and Fe3+ concentrations in the liver, skin and bone of both nephrotic and control rats were determined. The nephrotic rats showed depletion of Ni++ and Fe3+ in all tissues studied, whereas Zn++ and Mn++ concentrations were significantly decreased in the liver and skin, but not in the bone. In case of Cr3+, there was a significant increase in all the tissues studied. Mo++ showed a significant increase in the skin only. The mechanisms of these changes were discussed. Most of the manifestation of the nephrotic syndrome can be explained by the changes recorded for the trace elements in this study