Effects of unilateral uretral obstruction on the induction of renal apoptosis

Abnormalities of cell numbers are a frequent feature of renal disorders. Programmed cell death is a key factor in the regulation of cell numbers. Apoptosis is an active form of cell death that is modulated by extra cellular lethal and survival signals. Intracellular survival factors also have an important role in the regulation of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate apoptosis of the renal tubular epithelial cells following unilateral uretral obstruction. This study was conducted on 10 dogs allocated equally into treatment and control groups. In the treatment group, unilateral uretral obstruction was created surgically while animals in the control group were subjected to usual nutritional and caring conditions without surgery. After a week, renal tissue samples were collected from both groups. The samples were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and 4-5 micron thick sections were prepared and stained by TUNEL technique. Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The histopathological examination of the treatment group revealed increased apoptosis of renal tubular cells. The average number of apoptotic cells in the treatment group, obtained from calculations made in five different microscopic fields was significantly higher than the control group (P