Protein-Losing Nephropathy
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Article #3 CE Protein-Losing Nephropathy Jill Brunker, DVM, DACVIM Oklahoma State University ABSTRACT: As the quality of veterinary medicine continues to evolve, the longevity of companion animals is increasing.With the development of more diagnostic testing modalities such as microalbuminuria, proper interpretation and early intervention have become vital in delaying the progression of renal insufficiency and failure. In addition, detecting protein- uria may indicate the presence of a systemic disease, cuing veterinarians to conduct more diagnostic tests, which may help identify an underlying disease process. roteinuria is a frequent finding via urinal- selective permeability is accomplished by a bar- ysis in animals with urinary tract disease. rier comprised of fenestrated endothelium, PDetection of small amounts of protein in glomerular basement membrane, and epithelial urine may indicate early glomerular disease or podocytes. The fenestrations within the endo- the presence of other pathologic processes.1–3 thelium have a diameter of approximately 34 Glomerular disease is a common cause of renal nm and normally function to restrict the loss of insufficiency and failure.4 Protein-losing ne- protein with a diameter equal to or greater than phropathies (PLNs) may be a clinical manifes- the fenestration size. Albumin has an effective tation of systemic diseases. Earlier detection diameter of 36 nm and a molecular weight of may lead to identification and treatment of an 69 kD. In addition to a mechanical barrier, the underlying disease process, thereby delaying, basement membrane is thought to be negatively but rarely halting, development of proteinuria charged, which would further increase its ability when the glomerulus has been damaged.5,6 to repel negatively charged proteins such as albumin.7 Smaller proteins and solutes with PHYSIOLOGY negative or positive charges are freely filtered The functional unit of a nephron includes the through the glomerulus, but many are generally glomerulus, a tuft of capillaries contained reabsorbed in the tubules or catabolized and within Bowman’s capsule, and the tubules. The therefore may not be detected in urine.7 tubules are divided into the proximal convo- Changes in glomerular hemodynamic proper- luted tubule segment, the loop of Henle, the ties can also damage the glomerular barrier, distal convoluted tubule segment, and the col- resulting in increased protein losses in the urine lecting duct. The glomerulus functions to main- filtrate. Once protein enters the tubules, they tain normal osmotic pressure by inhibiting the have a limited ability for reabsorbtion.7 loss of serum proteins, espe- Send comments/questions via email cially albumin, into the urine PATHOPHYSIOLOGY [email protected] while allowing water, elec- Proteinuria is caused by one of three basic or fax 800-556-3288. trolytes, and waste products to processes8: Visit CompendiumVet.com for enter the tubules for either full-text articles, CE testing, and CE reabsorption from the tubules • Preglomerular (i.e., fever, hypothermia, test answers. or excretion into urine. This strenuous exercise, venous congestion) COMPENDIUM 686 September 2005 Protein-Losing Nephropathy CE 687 • Glomerular tion; cause relaxation of the mesangial cells, resulting in vasodilation; and have an antiinflammatory effect in the Postglomerular (i.e., hemorrhage or inflammation of • kidneys.13 Conversely, thromboxanes tend to induce the urogenital tract, lack of tubular reabsorption) platelet activation, are chemotactic for neutrophils, and The causes of preglomerular proteinuria usually result in cause mesangial cell contraction and vasoconstriction as mild, transient proteinuria, and most of these causes can well as interfere with mesangial phagocytosis of immune usually be ruled out with a thorough history and physi- complexes, possibly leading to a decreased GFR.12–14 cal examination. Other proteins, such as hemoglobin The causes of glomerulonephritis can be separated and myoglobin, are freely filtered through the glomeru- into two categories: lus and may be present in urine. These proteins cause Primary (idiopathic) glomerulonephritis—No con- 9 • urine to remain red after centrifugation. Postglomerular current disease is identified. causes are most commonly the result of cystitis, metritis, Secondary glomerulonephritis—Damage to the prostatitis, or neoplasia and usually involve concurrent • glomerulus is the result of an identified systemic dis- inflammatory sediment or hematuria.9,10 The other pos- ease. The causes of secondary glomerulonephritis in sibility for postglomerular proteinuria is a lack of tubu- dogs and cats include many infectious diseases, lar reabsorption. A small amount of protein may be inflammatory conditions, neoplasia, heredity, certain present in the ultrafiltrate, but normal tubules degrade drugs, and endocrinopathies (Table 1). and reabsorb this protein.7 The loss of electrolytes and glucose with normal glucosemia may indicate a renal In immune-mediated diseases (secondary to infectious tubular disorder that may accompany proteinuria (Fan- agents, organ/tissue damage), the antigen–antibody coni-like syndrome). complexes within the glomeruli lead to activation of For proteinuria to be glomerular, there has to be dam- complement with infiltration of neutrophils, T lympho- age to the glomeruli, most commonly from glomeru- cytes, and macrophages.14,15 Further destruction occurs lonephritis or amyloidosis. The mesangial cells are secondary to platelet aggregation, activation of the coag- The most common causes of proteinuria in dogs and cats are glomerulonephritis and amyloidosis. important components of the glomerulus. These cells ulation cascade, and fibrin formation.14,15 The glomeru- are located between two neighboring capillaries and have lus responds to this insult by releasing additional a contractile role, influencing the glomerular filtration cytokines and growth factors, leading to mesangial cell rate (GFR). The mesangial cells also play an important proliferation, mesangial matrix production, inflamma- role in perpetuating the immune response to glomeru- tory cell adhesion, increased vascular permeability, intra- lonephritis. Some vasoactive substances and cytokines glomerular coagulation, and fibrin deposition.15 (e.g., endothelins, angiotensin II, vasopressin, norepi- Damage to the glomerulus occurs when immune com- nephrine, platelet-activating factor, thromboxane A2, his- plexes or amyloid, respectively, is deposited in the capil- tamine) can cause contraction of the mesangial cells, lary walls of the glomerulus.15 The antigen–antibody thereby decreasing GFR. Others, such as atrial natri- complexes may be circulating in the blood and subse- uretic peptide, dopamine, and cAMP, cause relaxation of quently deposited in the glomerulus, or the antigen the mesangial cells. The mesangial cells can also activate becomes embedded within the glomerular capillary wall T lymphocytes, which can further perpetuate the disease and the antibody binds to the antigen in situ.15 Once this process by recruiting other immune cells.11 Prosta- glomerular damage occurs, the selective permeability is glandins (PGs) and thromboxanes play a role in the local lost and protein enters the ultrafiltrate in the renal pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis and are foci for tubules. The proteins themselves increase lysosomal pro- potential treatments.12 Some PGs (i.e., PGE and prosta- cessing to the protein, which is toxic to the tubular cyclin) are beneficial in that they inhibit platelet func- epithelial cells.14,16 As a result, the lysosomes swell and September 2005 COMPENDIUM 688 CE Protein-Losing Nephropathy Table 1. Causes of Secondary Glomerulonephropathy in Hyaline or protein casts detected Dogs and Cats14,a via urinalysis may suggest exces- sive protein loss with glomerular Causes Dogs Cats disease.6,9 Hyperfiltration with in- Inflammatory creased hydraulic pressure of the Infectious Dirofilariasis FIV remaining nephrons may damage Ehrlichiosis FIP RMSF Mycoplasmal polyarthritis the less affected glomeruli and Borreliosis worsen the proteinuria. If any por- Septicemia tion of the nephron is irreversibly Pyoderma damaged, the entire nephron will Pyometra be lost. Once greater than 66% to Bartonellosis 75% of nephron function is lost, Immune-mediated SLE SLE renal azotemia develops. Some Polyarthritis dogs with PLN retain the ability IMHA to concentrate urine with concur- IMTP rent glomerular azotemia. The Others IBD Pancreatitis degree of proteinuria may decrease Prostatitis Cholangiohepatitis over time as nephrons are lost. Hepatitis Periodontal disease However, this should not be assumed to indicate that the Neoplastic Leukemia Lymphoma glomerular disease and the PLN Transitional cell Leukemia are improving. carcinoma Mast cell tumors In one study,6 amyloidosis was Lymphoma shown to be one of the most com- Bronchogenic carcinoma mon causes of glomerular diseases in dogs, accounting for 23% of Drugs Glucocorticoid excess — Trimethoprim–sulfa dogs with glomerular disease. Amyloidosis results from the de- Hereditary Soft-coated wheaten Abyssinian position of an acute-phase reac- terrier tant fragment, amyloid A. The Doberman pinscher most common type of amyloidosis Beagle in dogs is secondary or reactive. In English cocker spaniel Shar-pei reactive amyloidosis, serum amy- Greyhound loid A is synthesized by the liver Dalmatian in response to tissue injury. Bernese mountain dog Chronic inflammation can result Samoyed in a prolonged increase