Investigation of the accumulation of fat in the kidneys of mice poisoned with carbon tetrachloride

In mice carbon tetrachloride (3 μ.l/g i.p.) causes an increase in kidney weight, water and triglyceride content after 6h, which is even more pronounced after 12 h. The increase in the renal fat content is closely paralleled by an increase in the serum non-esterified fatty acids. Since both the elevation of the non-esterified fatty acid level in the serum and the increase in the renal triglyceride content can be prevented by the antilipolytic drug ß-pyridylcarbinol (500 μg/g i.m. every 6 h) it is assumed that the accumulation of fat in the kidneys produced by carbon tetrachloride is the result of enhanced lipolysis and uptake of fatty acids into the kidneys, with subsequent esterification of the fatty acids to triglycerides.β-pyridylcarbinol had no influence on the increase in the weight and water content of the kidneys and the morphological changes (albuminous swelling, constriction of the lumen of the tubuli, increased protein permeability) produced in the tubule system by carbon tetrachloride.