Renal and urinary glycosaminoglycans in an experimental model of chronic renal failure in rats

The present paper reports the glomerular and renal individual glycosaminogl ycan levels in an experimental model of chronic renal failure (CRF) that wa s induced in Wistar rats by five-sixths mass ablation. Glycemia, body weigh t, blood systolic pressure and urinary excretions of creatinine, albumin an d glycosaminoglycans were measured for 12 weeks. At the end of the experime nt, the weight and the glycosaminoglycan composition of the kidneys were de termined. In control rats, heparan sulfate was the main glycosaminoglycan f ound both in whole kidney and isolated glomeruli, with trace amounts of der matan sulfate. Isolated glomeruli presented higher heparan sulfate concentr ations than whole kidney (expressed as mg/g dry weight). In CRF rats, album inuria appeared from the 2 week on, and dermatan sulfate and chondroitin su lfate contents of the kidney increased, whereas heparan sulfate levels rema ined unaltered. Changes in urine glycosaminoglycans (heparan sulfate, chond roitin sulfate and dermatan sulfate) were not statistically significant. Th e increase in glomerular dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate observed in this experimental model could be related to the mechanisms involved in t he glomerulosclerosis and proteinuria that occur in CRF. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.