URINARY BIOMARKERS MONITORING FOR EXPERIMENTAL FLUORIDE NEPHROTOXICITY

An excess of sodium fluoride (135 mg F/kg body weight) was given in a single oral dose to male Wistar rats. Effects were investigated of flu oride-induced acute kidney intoxication on the time-dependent variatio ns of urine volume. Also, of urinary fluoride ion (F-), alpha-glutathi one-S-transferase (alpha-GST), N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and creatinine (CR) concentrations. Fluoride administration strongly a ffects these urinary biochemical indices. Of the several biomarkers st udied, alpha-GST is particularly useful as marker of S3 proximal tubul e damage. We found that alpha-GST shows the strongest and more durable changes as a result of the large dose of F- given to the experimental animals. Our results suggest that the toxic effect of F- on the kidne y may be more pronounced in the proximal tubule than the glomeruli reg ion, and that the disorder of the proximal tubule is more serious in t he S3 segment than S1 or S2 segment. alpha-GST proved to be a useful m arker for the early detection and long-term observation of proximal re nal tubular injury resulting from F- intoxication. The animal model sh ould help to establish guidelines for the treatment of industrial work ers suffering from acute renal failure resulting from accidental expos ure to fluoride.