To study the influence of disrupted renal lymph drainage on the effects of a nephrotoxin,
uranyl acetate (0.028 to 0.05 mg/kg
body weight) was injected into dogs the same day that the renal lymphatics were ligated and transected bilaterally. Larger doses produced effects which masked the influence of lymphatic
ligation; a control group receiving
uranyl acetate underwent a
sham ligation of renal lymphatics. In renal function studies at 1, 3, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery and
uranyl acetate, the
urea,
creatinine, PAH and
electrolyte clearances of the "ligated" dogs were lower than those of the "non-ligated" shams. Daily clearances of
urea and
creatinine of the ligated were also lower than those of the shams. Urinary volume and
protein excretion were also greater in the ligated subjects although elevated in both groups. The significance of the differences in the daily
electrolyte clearances was less convincing. Renal lymphatic
ligation with
uranyl acetate injection produced greater changes than either lymphatic
ligation or
uranyl acetate alone. That the changes were not permanent or did not lead to
chronic renal disease was probably due to regeneration of lymphatics, development of alternate routes of lymph flow and/or the small dose of
uranyl acetate used to demonstrate the influence of lymphatic dysfunction on response to the nephrotoxin.