In this study we investigated the effect of heparin on renal injury and renal transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) production in adriamycin (AD)-injected rats. Thirty-nine female Wistar rats were injected with AD (3.5 mg/kg body weight, i.v.) and 27 with 0.15 M NaCl solution (group C). Fifteen days later we started to inject heparin, 500 U/day, s.c., in 20 of the AD-injected animals (AD-H group). Three months after beginning treatment, urine samples were collected to quantify albumin, creatinine and TGF-β. The rats were killed and the kidneys removed for histological, immunohistochemical, ELISA and RNA studies. All AD-injected animals showed structural renal changes (p < 0.05). However, the glomerular alterations were less intense in rats from group AD-H (p < 0.05). The percentage of glomerulosclerosis was 0.11 ± 0.08 in group C, 14.7 ± 12.8 in group AD (treated only with AD) and 3.42 ± 2.3 in group AD-H. Renal cortex immunostaining for TGF-β and mRNA content of this polypeptide was higher in both groups of animals injected with AD compared to controls (p < 0.05). These animals also presented a higher rate of urinary TGF-β excretion (p < 0.05), which was 202 ± 11 in group C, 1,103 ± 580 in group AD and 1,564 ± 328 pg/mg Ucreat in group AD-H. However, TGF-β activity in the glomerular-conditioned media from the rats of group AD was higher than in the glomerular-conditioned media from the rats of group AD-H. In conclusion, treatment with heparin reduces glomerular damage in rats with AD-induced nephropathy but does not modify tubulointerstitial lesions or the renal production of TGF-β.

No abstract

Fumonisins (FBs) are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium molds. Several works have shown contamination of maize by this toxin. Fumonisin B1 (FB-1) is found in greatest proportion (about 70%), resistant to several industrialization processes. In that context, the objective of this work was to analyze the effect of administering a diet contaminated with FB-1 on the morphophysiology of the kidneys of 21-day old male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into 2 groups: G0 (with animals receiving feed free of FBs) and G6 (6mg of FB 1 kg-1 of feed). The diet was administered during 42 days. After that period, the animals were placed in metabolic cages for urine collection, blood was collected for analysis of plasma creatinine, and the kidneys were fixed and stained with Masson's trichrome. We observed that FB 1 administration did not affect feed intake, body weight gain and animal growth. The normal levels of plasma creatinine suggest that the toxin did not lead to glomerular lesion. There was also no change in water intake, osmolarity and excretion of sodium in urine. However, there was a significant increase in urine volume and potassium excretion in urine, with mild tubulointerstitial changes in the outer cortex for the group receiving the mycotoxin.

Esse trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as características dos textos que abordavam temas relacionados à fisiopatologia renal na revista “Annaes Paulista de Medicina e Cirurgia” no período de 1913, ano da criação da revista e também da instalação da Faculdade de Medicina e Cirurgia de São Paulo, até 1933, quando foi criada a Escola Paulista de Medicina. No total foram encontrados 31 textos, sendo que entre 1913 e 1924 a revista publicou apenas quatro. A partir de 1925 houve aumento significativo no número de publicações, 27 no total, sugerindo aumento nos estudos dentro da área renal em São Paulo. A maioria dos autores, 53,3%, era da Faculdade de Medicina de São Paulo. Todos do sexo masculino. A maioria das publicações, 89%, era de um autor e nenhuma tinha mais que dois. Os trabalhos de revisão constituíram a maioria dos artigos (35,5%), seguidos pelo relato e discussão de casos clínicos (29%), descrição e/ou comunicado de artigos publicados em outras revistas (25,8%), trabalhos experimentais (6,5%) e análise de tese (3,2%). Os estudos experimentais só começaram a aparecer na revista a partir da edição de 1930 e os de revisão a partir de 1925.