STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED RENAL HEMODYNAMIC-CHANGES IN ISOGENIC LEWIS RATS - A KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT STUDY

Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus is associated with decreased renal clearances of inulin and p-aminohippurate (PAH). The present experiments were designed to determine whether STZ-induced renal hemodynamic changes are due to the drug per se, rather than to the diabetic state that it induces. Isogenic Lewis rats with native right and transplanted left kidneys were studied. In one group, kidney donors received 50 mg STZ/kg body wt on day 1 and transplantation was performed on day 4 (untreated recipients). On day 29, the inulin and PAH clearances of these nondiabetic recipients were, respectively, 0.94 +/- 0.04 and 2.58 +/- 0.11 ml . min-1 . g-1 for the transplanted left kidney (previously exposed to STZ) and 0.95 +/-0.07 and 2.54 +/- 0.14 ml . min-1 . g-1 for the native right kidney (never exposed to STZ). In another group, recipients received STZ on day 1 and transplantation was performed on day 4 (untreated donors). On day 29, the inulin and PAH clearances of these diabetic recipients were, respectively, 0.62 +/- 0.04 and 1.46 +/- 0.11 ml . min-1 . g-1 for the transplanted left kidney (never exposed to STZ) and 0.61 +/- 0.05 and 1.42 +/- 0.08 ml . min-1 . g-1 for the native right kidney (previously exposed to STZ). We conclude that the diabetic state, rather than STZ, is responsible for the decreased renal clearances of inulin and PAH in this experimental model.