USE OF DOUBLE-ISOTOPE, SINGLE-INJECTION METHOD FOR ESTIMATING RENAL-FUNCTION IN NORMAL AND POLYBROMINATED BIPHENYL-EXPOSED DAIRY-COWS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (8) , 1262-1268
Abstract
A method is described for conducting a rapid and efficient renal function test in dairy cattle. The method, adapted from methods used for man and dogs, utilizes radiolabeled 131I-sodium iodohippurate to determine effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and 125I-sodium iothalamate to determine glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The mean GFR for adult cattle was determined to be 2.8 .+-. 0.4 ml/kg per min with a biological half-life of 35.5 .+-. 1.4 min. The mean ERPF was found to be 10.5 .+-. 1.9 ml/kg per min with a half-life of 17.9 .+-. 0.6 min. These values are comparable with those in man, but are lower than values in dogs. A toxicity study was done with dairy cattle exposed to polybrominated biphenyls (PBB). Efforts were made to determine the amount of time required for kidney lesions to develop and, if possible, to delineate the potential site of action of PBB. Apparently PBB do not affect GFR or ERPF, even though they produce nephrotoxic effects. Potential mechanisms to explain these results are described.