Objective：To observe the development and growth of female SD rats in early puberty with adriamycin-induced nephropathy.

Methods：Ten SPF female SD rats, 4-week old, were randomly divided into experimental(5 rats) and control group(5 rats). The rats in experimental group were injected with adriamycin via the tail vein at the dosage of 6.5 mg/kg; the rats in the control group were injected with normal saline via the tail vein. The body weight, uterine wet weight, head-tail length, and tibia length were measured and 24h urinary protein was determined once a week for 4 weeks after injection. Ultrastructural change of podocytes was observed by transmission electron microscope. Serum level of estradiol(E2), luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH), insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3(IGFBP-3) were measured by radioimmunoassay.

Results：Urinary protein of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group at the 4th　week after adriamycin injection(P<0.05). Podocyte foot process effacement was extensive at the 4th week after adriamycin injection. Body weight of the experimental group was more significantly decreased than that of the control group at 2nd, 3rd and 4th week after adriamycin injection than that of the control group(P<0.05). Head-tail length of the experimental group was significantly reduced compared with the control group(P<0.05) at the 4th week after adriamycin injection, while tibia length and uterine wet weight showed no significant reduction after adriamycin injection compared with the control group(P>0.05). The serum level of LH, FSH, E2, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in the experiment group at the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week after adriamycin injection was not significantly changed compared with the control group(P>0.05).

Conclusion：Female SD rats in early puberty with adriamycin-induced nephropathy do not have obvious growth and development retardation; serum growth hormone and sex hormones are not significantly reduced.