Ultrastructure of the kidney filtration barrier in conditions of distant tumor growth and lithium treatment

ABSTRACT

Toxic products generated in the process of tumor growth and as a result of treatment may cause damage to organs distant from the tumor growth, including kidneys. The aim of the work was to identify ultrastructural changes in the components of kidney filtration barrier in conditions of distant tumor growth and lithium carbonate treatment. Tumor growth was induced by the inoculation of hepatocellular carcinoma-29 cells into the right thigh muscle of CBA mice. Lithium carbonate was injected along the periphery of the tumor. Ultrastructural analysis of podocytes and endotheliocytes of glomerular capillaries in the dynamics of tumor growth and lithium carbonate treatment was carried out. Under conditions of distant tumor growth, ultrastructural changes of the kidney filtration barrier were noted. Podocyte hypertrophy was detected, the width of foot process and glomerular membrane were increased. The number of fenestrae was decreased and cell hypertrophy was developed in the structure endothelium of glomerular capillary. Lithium carbonate had some protective effect on podocytes, but caused a significant hypertrophy of endotheliocytes leading to glomerular capillary occlusion.

KEYWORDS:

• Podocyte
• glomerular endothelium
• ultrastructure
• tumor
• ^✚-➔lithium

Author contribution

NB: conception and design of research, analyzed data, interpreted results of experiments, drafted manuscript. IT: edited manuscript; NB and IT: prepared figures and approved final version of manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology (Protocol 140; April 26, 2018).