Nephrotoxic nephritis and glomerulonephritis: animal model versus human disease

Glomerulonephritis (GN) encompasses a range of immune-mediated disorders that cause inflammation within the glomerulus of the kidney. The pathogenesis of GN is complex. Intricacy arises from factors such as autoimmunity, cancer and structural abnormalities within the kidney. Studies using animal models have highlighted crucial interaction between inflammatory cells and cells intrinsic to the kidney, both of which are fundamental to the pathogenesis of GN. This review aims to provide insight on a 'suitable' model for nephrotoxic nephritis and glomerulonephritis (NTN GN) and relate its experimental validity to humans. The BALB/c NTN murine model and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat have held experimental validity in the study of GN in humans. The chemokine receptor CXCR3 also mediates renal T-cell recruitment and subsequent tissue injury in NTN. It is noteworthy to consider CXCR3 blockade in Th1-mediated renal inflammation as future therapeutic options for patients with GN and subsets thereof. Currently used immunosuppressive therapies for GN are not always uniformly effective and are frequently associated with serious side-effects. Corticosteroids are effective in several types of GN owing to their ability to inhibit the pro-inflammatory effects of cytokines known to promote glomerular inflammation. Differences between experimental and human GN complicate translation of experimental therapies into practice. More research is required to translate animal model research into a better comprehension of human GN disease. However, the complexity of GN research makes findings a challenge to replicate.