Age-related non-neoplastic lesions in the heart and kidneys of Syrian hamsters of the APA strain

Abstract

SummarySpontaneous cardiac and renal lesions in AP A hamsters were examined histopathologically. Myocardial degeneration, valvular thickening, coronary arterial degeneration and increase in heart weight were common in old hamsters. These changes, which suggest cardiac failure, seem to be related to cardiac thrombosis which predominantly affected the left atrium and was found in over 40% of each sex over 16 months of age. Neither glomerular amyloidosis nor arteriolar nephrosclerosis was detected. In general the histopathology of renal lesions in AP A hamsters resembled that of the condition known as glomerulonephrosis in rats. Renal lesions occurred more frequently and more severely and developed more rapidly in females than in males. There was no apparent correlation between cardiac thrombosis and renal disease.

Modification of spontaneous renal lesion of APA hamsters by streptozotocin‐induced diabetes

“…Expansion of the mesangial region with increased eosinophilic materials and foam cells were observed in the glomeruli of SZ3M (Figure 2). In addition Modification of renal lesion of APA hamsters by diabetes 171 to the glomerular changes, atrophy of glomeruli and tubules, interstitial fibrosis and urinary casts, which had been frequently observed in 12-month-old non-treated animals (Doi et al 1987), were already apparent in SZ3M animals (Figure 3). However nodular lesions were not detected in the glomeruli of SZ-treated animals during the experimental period.…”

“…APA hamsters are known to develop spontaneous mesangial thickening in the renal glomeruli from an early age (Han et al 1992a). They also develop focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSG) at and after 6 months of age (Doi et al 1987;Yamanouchi et al 1994).…”

Biology and Diseases of Hamsters

“…Atrial thrombosis may be most commonly seen in the APA strain of hamster, accompanied by cardiac hypertrophy that develops with age (Doi et al, 1987). Doi et al (1987) propose that an increase in relative and absolute heart weights seen in older APA hamsters is suggestive of cardiac hypertrophy. Upon necropsy, thrombi are present, primarily in the left atrium.…”

Imaging renal structures by X-ray phase-contrast microtomography

“…However, the same findings were not detected in male APA hamsters, because the pathological change in them occurs much later compared with that in females. 1 Wall thickness and lumen diameter of tubules were calculated in normal and abnormal areas of cortex (Figure 3). The thinnest tubular wall was about 12 mm.…”

“…A small laboratory animal model of human diseases, such as the albino-panda-albino (APA) hamster, which is known to develop a spontaneous renal focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) with age, has been used in the basic and premedical research of the kidney. 1,2 In a developed, spontaneous case of renal disease in the APA hamster, pathological findings, such as segmental sclerotic glomeruli, increased matrix, tubular atrophy, widening of Bowman's space, and thickening of the basement membrane, have been observed. 3,4 The detection of even a single glomerulus, involved with segmental sclerosis, is sufficient to invoke an initial diagnosis of FSGS.…”