Renal Injury in Trichosurus vulpecula Produced by (Œstrogens)

Abstract

A SERIES of five males and five females of the common Australian phalanger or possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) of an average body-weight of about 2 kgm. were injected weekly with 2–5 mgm. of œstrodiol benzoate or œstrodiol dipropionate. These animals died or were killed between ten and thirty-nine days after the first injection. At death they all showed a markedly elevated blood urea content (190–500 mgm. per cent). On histological examination the kidneys showed a varying degree of cloudy swelling which frequently was associated with necrosis of the convoluted tubules. In many instances some of the collecting tubules were found to be dilated in their proximal portions. An outstanding observation was calcification involving the epithelial remnants in a few or many of the convoluted tubules. The picture was one of calcification of necrotic epithelium similar to that seen in mercury bichloride poisoning. It was observed in eight out of ten animals. Calcification was also occasionally seen in the muscular coat of small and large blood vessels. In addition, a series of seven animals was injected with a single dose of approximately 1 mgm. per kgm. body-weight of stilbœstrol dipropionate. These animals were killed or died within 2–17 days. With the exception of the animal which was killed two days after the injection, similar functional and histological findings were obtained as in the previous series although calcification was observed in only two out of six animals.