Molecular analysis of spontaneous glomerulosclerosis in os/+ mice, a model with reduced nephron mass. He, Cijiang, Rudolfs K. Zalups, David A. Henderson#, Gary E. Striker, and Liliane J. Striker. Renal Cell Biology Section, Metabolic Diseases Branch, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD; Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Mercer University, School of Medicine, Macon, GA. #Department of Research, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Oklahoma State University. Tulsa, OK
APStracts 2:0039F, 1995.
ROP Os/+ mice are a radiation-induced mutant strain with reduced glomerular number and increased glomerular size. We found that they develop glomerulosclerosis. At 3 months, ROP Os /+ mice had diffuse mesangial expansion by light microscopy, whereas their +/+ littermates did not. Electron microscopic morphometry revealed a 2 fold increase in mesangial areas, but no changes in the thickness of glomerular basal laminae. Mean glomerular volume was increased 1.8 fold. Cell number and thymidine labelling index were increased 1.3 and 2.4 fold, respectively. The amount of glomerular type IV collagen and tenascin, but not laminin, was increased by immunofluorescence microscopy. mRNA levels in microdissected glomeruli were measured by competitive RT-PCR and corrected for cell number. [alpha]1IV collagen and tenascin mRNAs were increased 3.2 fold and 1.8 fold, whereas laminin B1 mRNA levels were not. The levels of 72 kDa collagenase mRNA were increased 1.6 fold. TGF-[beta]1 mRNA levels were elevated 1.8 fold, but PDGF-B mRNA levels remained normal. This is the first analysis of glomerular molecular and cellular changes in a model of congenital nephron reduction.

Received 8 December 1994; accepted in final form 8 March 1995.
APS Manuscript Number F437-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 28 March 1995.