ABSTRACT
Renal transport and xenobiotic metabolism play an important role in the detoxication and excretion of potentially toxic xenobiotics. However, recent experimental evidence has demonstrated that renal xenobiotic metabolism and renal transport processes also play important roles in the nephrotoxicity of xenobiotics and xenobiotic metabolites. The high blood flow to the kidney combined with its ability to concentrate solutes may expose the kidney to high concentrations of xenobiotics and xenobiotic metabolites present in the systemic circulation. In addition xenobiotic metabolites may be targeted to the kidney by the presence of efficient renal transport systems (Anders, 1988, 1991; Lock, 1989, 1993; Monks and Lau, 1992, 1998; Monks et al., 1990; Lash, 1994). Glutathione S-conjugate formation from xenobiotics represents a novel pathway of biotransformation resulting in nephrotoxicity, and at least three types of toxic glutathione S-conjugates have been identified.
