Nephrotoxicity metals and

It is well known that a large number of chemical substances, including toxic metals and metalloids such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, cause cell injury in the kidney. With metal-induced neurotoxicity, factors such as metal-binding proteins, inclusion bodies, and cell-specific receptor-like proteins seem to influence renal injury in animals and humans. It is of interest to note that certain renal cell populations become the targets for metal toxicity, while others do not. In fact, the target cell populations handle the organic and common inorganic nephrotoxicants differently.  

Chronic exposure to methyl mercury results in increased urinary excretion of uro- and coproporphyrins in rats, mediated via inhibition of ferrochelatase. Acute 

Exposures to chemical substances such as carbon tetrachloride, 1,1-dichloroeth-ylene, paradichlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, monochlorobenzene, tetrachloroethyl-ene, toluene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, xylenes, cadmium, and lead are known to canse adverse effects on the kidney. The kidney is unusually susceptible because of its role in filtering harmful substances from the blood. Some of these toxicants canse acnte injury to the kidney, while others produce chronic changes that can lead to end-stage renal failure or cancer. Furthermore, evaluation of the nephrotoxicity of complex industrial waste mixtures with organic chemicals and metals reqnires more stndies. 

It has become increasingly apparent that a number of chemical substances canse adverse effects on one or more of the anatomical elements of the kidney. These include the glomerulus proximal, intermediate, and distal tubnles and mednllary, endothelial, and urothelial cells. While the proximal tubular cells have self-repairing ability, the same is not true with glomerular epithelium and the mednllary interstitial cells. Reports have indicated that cadmium and lead cause renal tnbnlar dysfnnction in animals and humans. Cell culture studies show that cadmium increases cell death. 

International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS). 1991. Nephrotoxicity associated with exposure to chemicals. Environmental Health Criteria. IPCS, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. 

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