Immediate effects of continuous beta-irradiation to the kidneys

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Abstract
Renal response to irradiation was examined over the course of 24 h in an animal preparation of continuous renal irradiation. Continuous beta-irradiation to the renal parenchyma was carried out in C57Bl6 mice by application to the surface of both kidneys of a 32P-impregnated anion exchange resin yielding and initial beta surface dose of ≈30 cGy/min and ≈2.3 cGy/min at a 2 mm depth. This technique proved easily reproducible and highly effective in causing immediate renal damage. In a kinetic study, the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) values of 5 week old mice exposed to continuous renal irradiation rose significantly (2 h: 21±4; 4 h: 33±4; 6 h: 42±5; 16 h: 65±8; and 24 h: 62±5 mg%) while that of sham-operated animals (provided with a nonradioactive resin) remained below 17 mg% throughout the entire observation period. When mice of various ages were exposed to continuous renal irradiation over a 16 h period, the functional changes were shown to be inversely correlated with the age of the animals (BUN at 5 week: 65±8; 8 week: 51±6; and 11 week: 20±2 mg%). Thus, our results indicate that continuous beta-irradiation to the kidneys promptly causes severe age-related renal functional deficits. This novel approach may offer an alternative to the current methods of investigation of radiation-induced renal damage.