The Severity of Interstitial Inflammation in the Renal Parenchyma of Albino Rats Is Subjected to the Dose of Heavy Metals

Abstract

Aim This study aimed to determine the relationship between irreversible morphological changes in the renal interstitium and the duration of exposure to heavy metals such as copper in albino rats. Materials and methods An experimental research design was used to conduct this study from November 2019 to May 2020. All experiments were performed in the Department of Pathology of the Services Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Health Sciences (UHS) (animal house), Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 30 albino rats equally divided into three groups were included in the study. Group I (control) was given tap water and a typical rodent pellet diet. Groups II and III (experimental) were fed with copper (heavy metal) at a dose of 0.15 and 0.30 mg/kg body weight, respectively, for 18 weeks on alternate days. At the end of the experiment, the kidneys were extracted from the rats, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and processed for histological observation. Renal histopathological changes were evaluated in terms of edema, inflammation, and fibrosis. Results The collected data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Renal histopathology in terms of interstitium showed that edema, inflammation, and fibrosis were significantly different in all groups. In Group I, none of the rats had edema, inflammation, and fibrosis, while in Groups II and III, these characteristics were observed; the difference was significant between the experimental and control groups. Conclusions Heavy metals, such as copper, can induce renal parenchymal changes in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in edema, fibrosis, and inflammation.