Effect of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on kidney morphology in experimental prostate hyperplasia in rats
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY — MEDICINE
Abstract
Introduction.The influence of thyroid status on the morphogenesis of obstructive nephropathy, which develops against the background of benign prostatic hyperplasia, remains unexplored, despite the presence of contradictory clinical data on the relationship of hypo- and hyperthyroidism with the risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia. There are no experimental studies on this issue.The aim— to evaluate the effect of experimental hypo- and hyperthyroidism on the morphological characteristics of the kidneys in conditions of testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia and concomitant obstructive uropathy in rats.Materials and methods.Benign prostatic hyperplasia was modeled on 32 male Wistar rats using daily injections of testosterone propionate (5 mg/kg). The animals were divided into 4 groups (n=8): intact control, “pure” benign prostatic hyperplasia, benign prostatic hyperplasia + hyperthyroidism (L-thyroxine, 10 mcg/100 g/day) and benign prostatic hyperplasia + hypothyroidism (propylthiouracil, 0.05% with drinking water). On day 36, macro- and micromorphometry of the kidneys was performed using light microscopy, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and digital image analysis (Image J). The mass of the organ, the thickness of the cortical substance, the area of the glomeruli, the diameter of the lumen of the proximal and distal tubules, the density of capillaries were evaluated, and a semi-quantitative assessment of hydronephrosis (0–4 points) and inflammatory infiltrate (0–3 points) was performed. The thyroid status was confirmed by measuring the levels of thyroxine and thyroid-stimulation hormone using the ELISA method.Results.Hyperthyroidism on the background of benign prostatic hyperplasia led to the maximum severity of obstructive changes: the relative mass of the kidneys increased by 38.1% compared to the control (p <0.05), the mass of residual urine exceeded the control value by 10.25 times (p <0.05), and the thickness of the cortical substance decreased by 36.7% (to 0.95±0.12 mm, p<0.05). Micromorphometry revealed pronounced dilation of the distal tubules (diameter 48.2±5.9 microns versus 21.0±2.8 microns in the control, p <0.001), an increase in glomerular area by 15% (p<0.05), an increase in capillary density by 50% (p <0.05), as well as the development of grade 3 hydronephrosis and moderate inflammation (2 points). In the “benign prostatic hyperplasia + hypothyroidism” group, all parameters were much closer to the control: tubule dilation was minimal (25.3±3.2 microns), cortical thickness was preserved (1.40±0.17 mm), inflammatory infiltrate was absent, and hydronephrosis was estimated at 1 point.Conclusion.experimental hyperthyroidism potentiates structural kidney damage in obstructive uropathy, while hypothyroidism, on the contrary, exhibits a pronounced protective effect.
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