Effect of chlorpromazine on the development of experimental glomerulonephritis and Arthus reaction

Chlorpromazine blocks antibody-mediated redistribution of cell surface antigens in vitro and in vivo and inhibits the development of passive Heymann glomerulonephritis, a disease characterized by in situ formation of immune complexes (Camussi et al J Immunol 1986, 136:2127-2135). The aim of this study was to establish whether chlorpromazine exerts similar effects in other rat models characterized by in situ formation of immune complexes. In glomerulonephritis induced by antibodies reactive with an exogenous antigen "planted" in glomeruli pretreatment with chlorpromazine prevented formation of "humps" and exudative and proliferative lesions. Likewise, chlorpromazine prevented passive reverse Arthus reaction in the skin. In contrast, the drug was ineffective when these lesions were already established, and also failed to inhibit the fulminant course of nephrotoxic serum glomerulonephritis with an enhanced autologous phase. It is proposed that the antiinflammatory effect of chlorpromazine is due to its ability to block the recruitment of inflammatory cells and the release of inflammatory mediators.