Non-arteriosclerotic lesions in the kidneys of dogs fed an atherogenic diet

• Published in: Experimental and molecular pathology Vol. 22; no. 3; pp. 400 - 416
• Main Authors: McCullagh, Keith G., Allen Ehrhart, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.01.1975
• Subjects: animal diseases; animal health; Animals; Basement Membrane - ultrastructure; Blood Specimen Collection; Cholesterol - blood; Diet, Atherogenic; Dogs; human nutrition; Hyperlipidemias - complications; Iodine Radioisotopes; Iodohippuric Acid; Kidney - pathology; Kidney - physiopathology; Kidney - ultrastructure; Kidney Cortex - pathology; Kidney Diseases - etiology; Kidney Function Tests; Kidney Glomerulus - pathology; Kidney Glomerulus - ultrastructure; Kidney Tubules - ultrastructure; Lipidoses - etiology; Lipidoses - pathology; Lipidoses - physiopathology; Male; Microscopy, Electron; noninfectious diseases; nutrition education; Phospholipids - blood; Triglycerides - blood; Urine - analysis; Vacuoles - ultrastructure
• ISSN: 0014-4800; 1096-0945
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-4800(75)90084-2

Hyperlipidemia was induced and sustained in a group of five dogs by feeding them a semi-synthetic diet containing 5% cholesterol and 16% hydrogenated coconut oil for 14 months. Extensive lipidosis was observed in renal tubules and collecting ducts, and degenerative and fibrotic changes were observed in glomeruli. No lipid deposits or atherosclerotic changes were seen in intrarenal arteries, despite the presence of widespread atherosclerosis in the aorta and iliac arteries. The glomerular changes consisted of hypercellularity, swelling of the mesangial stalk, adhesions between the tuft and the capsule and fibrosis of periglomerular tissue. Electron microscopy showed that these glomerular changes were associated with nodular thickenings and vacuolations of the glomerular basement membrane and fusion of the glomerular epithelial foot-processes. The cytoplasm of the proximal tubule cells was disrupted by numerous lipoid vesicles and inclusions. A control group of eight dogs fed a similar diet without cholesterol and supplemented with essential fatty acids showed none of these changes. Measurements of the clearance of endogenous creatinine and of the rate of disappearance from plasma of [ 131I]Iodohippurate showed that both glomerular and tubular function were severely depressed in dogs fed the cholesterol and hydrogenated coconut oil diet when compared to dogs fed a normal diet. The results indicate that significant morphological and functional changes may be brought about in the canine kidney by dietary-induced hyperlipidemia, in the absence of any renal ischemia.