d-Limonene Induced Hyaline Droplet Nephropathy in {alpha}2u-Globulin Transgenic Mice

d-Limonene is a hyaline droplet inducing agent and producesnephrotoxicity in male rats when the 1,2-epoxide metabolitebinds to 2u-globulin. Mice, which do not synthesize 2u-globulin,are resistant to hyaline droplet nephropathy. In this study,the ability of d-limonene to cause hyaline droplet nephropathyin a transgenic mouse engineered to express 2u-globulin wasevaluated. The C57BL/6-derived mice excreted 0.4 ± 0.1mg 2u-globulin/day, or approximately 16 mg 2u-globulin/kg bodywt. This represents about 30% of the amount excreted by adultmale rats (11.9 ± 1.1 mg/day or approximately 48 mg/kg).Transgenic mice excreted less mouse urinary protein (9.3 ±1.2 mg/day) than normal mice (15.1 ± 1.6 mg/day). Unlikenormal male rats, untreated transgenic mice did not show significantspontaneous hyaline droplet formation. Liver microsomes fromnaive transgenic mice oxidized d-limonene to the cis- and trans-isomersof the 1,2-epoxide, and following oral treatment with ¹⁴C]d-limonenereversible binding of d-limonene equivalents to renal cytosolicproteins was observed. Furthermore, with d-limonene treatment,hyaline droplets were observed in the transgenic mouse kidneys.These droplets, however, were much smaller in size than thoseseen in d-limonene-treated male rats. The accumulation of 2u-globulinin the kidneys of transgenic mice and normal male rats beforeand after d-limonene treatment was analyzed by Western blotting.These results indicated that 2u-globulin was present in thekidneys of the control transgenic mice, despite the lack ofspontaneous hyaline droplet formation. After d-limonene treatment,approximately a three fold increase in 2u-globulin in the transgenicmouse kidney was observed, a response similar in magnitude tothat seen in d-limonene-treated male rats. These results indicatethat expression of 2u-globulin in a species that does not normallydevelop hyaline droplet nephropathy is necessary and sufficientto render that species sensitive to this renal toxicity.