Sex difference of mercuric chloride-induced renal tubular necrosis in rats--from the aspect of sex differences in renal mercury concentration and sulfhydryl levels--.

When doses of 0.3 to 2 mg/kg of mercuric chloride were intravenously administered to rats of the JCL-SD strain, acute renal tubular necrosis was produced in the straight portion of the proximal tubules with a pronounced sex difference, the male being more susceptible. Necrosis was inhibited by castration of male rats and promoted by testosterone pretreatment. When 0.15 mg of mercury per rat was injected to adult rats, females showed higher levels of mercury in the whole kidney, outer cortex and inner cortex. Castration of male rats caused elevated renal levels of mercury and pretreatment with testosterone of females lowered the levels. Renal levels of sulfhydryl groups were higher than male rats and castrated male rats showed elevated renal levels. The sex difference in the levels of sulfhydryl groups seems to be one factor which causes different susceptibility to mercury between males and females.