Kidney morphology and function in the young of rats malnourished and exposed to nitrofen during pregnancy.

The separate and combined effects of prenatal protein deficiency (6% casein) and prenatal nitrofen (2,4-dichlorophenyl-p-nitrophenyl ether) exposure (12.5 mg/kg on gestational d 7-21) on renal morphology in the 21-d fetal and postnatal rat were examined. Body weights and kidney weights were reduced in prenatally protein-deprived (PPD) pups at birth and on postnatal day (PND) 10. Numbers of mature glomeruli, creatinine clearance, water diuresis, and response of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), but not the concentrating ability, were lower in the PPD neonates. These changes suggest that prenatal protein deficiency delays renal development and possibly results in a decrease in glomerular clearance and in tubular response to a water load and to antidiuretic hormone. Prenatal nitrofen exposure reduced body weight and kidney size on PND 0 and 10. An increased incidence of hydronephrosis was indicated in the nitrofen-exposed fetus. Prenatal nitrofen exposure depressed the ability to excrete excess water, the response to ADH, and urine-concentrating ability. The functional deficits indicate tubular dysfunction, but little or no effect on glomerular function, as indicated by the absence of an effect on creatinine clearance. Postnatal survival was reduced to 22% by PND in the PPD plus nitrofen pups. Also, prenatal nitrofen exposure increased the susceptibility of the glomeruli in the gestational day (GD) 21 PPD fetus to the adverse effects of prenatal protein deficiency. By PND 10 the toxic effects were of the same order. Renal dysfunction may contribute to the increased mortality in PPD plus nitrofen pups by reducing the ability to respond to stress, but the effects are not sufficiently marked to be considered the primary cause of death.