Nephrotoxicity of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU) in the Fischer 344 rat.

A single s.c. injection of 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(trans-4-methylcyclohexyl)-1-nitrosourea (MeCCNU; 20-140 mg/kg) resulted in rapid decreases in renal function as well as leading to a chronic progressive nephropathy in male Fischer 344 rats. Disturbances in renal function were proportional to the dose of MeCCNU administered and included impaired tubular transport of p-aminohippuric acid, a decrease in urine concentrating ability, an increase in urine pH, polyuria, proteinuria and enzymuria. The tubular accumulation of p-aminohippuric acid by kidney slices was decreased as early as 1 hr after MeCCNU administration (100 mg/kg), was maximal within 12 hr and remained depressed for at least 28 days after a single injection of either 40 or 80 mg/kg. Changes in other measures of renal function (increased lactate dehydrogenase excretion, alkalinuria and decreased urine concentrating ability) were delayed from 1 to 6 days after MeCCNU administration and in some cases progressed in severity throughout the 28-day duration of the experiment. The delay between the first evidence of renal damage (decreased p-aminohippuric acid uptake) and the subsequent appearance of enzymuria, proteinuria, polyuria and alkalinuria appears to correspond to a similar delay between the initial insult and the eventual development of cellular necrosis and other histopathological changes. These results demonstrate that MeCCNU is a nephrotoxicant in rats and indicate that even a single acute dose may lead to chronic and irreversible effects on the kidney. The in vivo toxicity model defined herein appears to be an appropriate one for further study of the mechanism of nephrotoxicity of MeCCNU.