Renal and Hepatic Lipid Alterations in Choline Deficiency

Abstract

Summary

Before and during the period of development of the characteristic renal lesions of choline deficiency in young rats consisting of a “hemorrhagic” cortical necrosis, observations were made on renal size, morphologic characteristics of the tubules, lipid content and choline content. These observations emphasize the rapid sequence of events in the development of the renal lesions. While the renal lesions are clearly preceded by a considerable increase in hepatic lipid, we were not able to demonstrate the presence of an appreciable degree of renal enlargement or increased renal lipid, in the absence of renal necrosis. After the onset of the renal lesions, with congestion and necrosis, there was an increase in renal size and in total lipid per kidney, but not in renal lipid concentration. Whether compression of capillaries by enlarged, fatty tubular cells is the cause of the renal necrosis, cannot be determined conclusively, in our opinion, by the methods presently or heretofore employed. It is not clear that the renal fatty changes are a cause rather than a manifestation of injury. Furthermore, it is uncertain whether the fatty changes which accompany the renal lesions result from a metabolic disturbance which might occur in other organs as well, or from some disturbance peculiar to the kidney of the young rat.