Galactosemic nephropathy in the rat.

The effect of 30% galactose feeding on kidney function and structure was compared to the effect of streptozotocin-induced diabetes in the rat. In the galactose-fed rats there was increased urine volume (500%), creatinine clearance (40%), urinary albumin excretion (100%), urinary N-acetyl glucosaminidase (600%) and relative kidney weight (21%). These changes were similar to that observed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals. Galactitol in the kidney cortex of galactose-fed rats was increased 4 times similar to that observed for sorbitol in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic animals. Glycosylated hemoglobins were also increased in both galactose-fed animals and streptozotocin-treated animals. These data suggest that galactose feeding may be a useful model for investigating some aspects of diabetic nephropathy.