Thromboxane receptor blockade reduces renal injury in murine lupus nephritis

To investigate the role of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) in murine lupus, we assessed the effects of the specific thromboxane receptor antagonist GR32191 on immune complex glomerulonephritis in MRL-lpr/lpr mice. Forty mg/kg/day GR32191 was given by twice daily subcutaneous injection for eight weeks beginning at 12 weeks of age. This dose completely blocked the renal vasoconstriction produced by the thromboxane agonist U46619. After eight weeks of treatment, both glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (8.9 +/- 0.6 vs. 6.8 +/- 1.1 ml/min/kg; P less than 0.05) and PAH clearance (CPAH) (37.4 +/- 2.5 vs. 29.9 +/- 3.3 ml/min/kg; P less than 0.05) were significantly higher in mice given GR32191 compared to vehicle treated animals. Administration of GR32191 also reduced proteinuria from 18.1 +/- 11.6 to 3.7 +/- 1.3 mg/24 hours (P less than 0.05). In GR32191 treated MRL-lpr/lpr mice, renal hemodynamic function and proteinuria were not significantly different from congenic MRL-+/+ controls. Thromboxane receptor blockade had striking affects on renal histomorphology reducing both hyaline thrombi in glomeruli (P = 0.022) and interstitial inflammation (P = 0.006). Glomerular crescents and severity of vasculitis also tended to be reduced in mice receiving the thromboxane receptor antagonist. The overall histopathologic score in mice given GR32191 was significantly lower than vehicle treated animals (4.7 +/- 0.5 vs. 8.4 +/- 1.5; P = 0.016). These effects of GR32191 were associated with decreased excretion of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) in urine (292 +/- 37 vs. 747 +/- 155 pg/24 hr; P less than 0.005) as well as a modest reduction in glomerular deposits of IgG (semiquantitative score 2.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.2; P less than 0.02). Thus, chronic thromboxane receptor blockade markedly altered the course of renal disease in MRL-lpr/lpr mice, suggesting that TxA2 is an important mediator of renal dysfunction and injury in this murine model of lupus nephritis.