Alterations in molecular structure of renal mitochondria associated with cyclosporine A treatment

We examined whether ultrastructural changes in renal mitochondria associated with Cyclosporine A treatment might reflect underlying alterations in mitochondrial molecular structure. A nonrejected renal transplant removed from a patient treated with Cyclosporine A showed a decreased level of beta subunit antigen of mitochondrial F1-ATPase compared to controls. This decrease was more marked in the medulla than in the cortex (56% vs. 70% of pooled controls). Spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with a high dose of Cyclosporine A showed a similar decrease of beta-subunit antigen in the renal medulla and decreased levels of two subunit antigens of cytochrome c oxidase, but had increased medullary levels of the alpha subunit antigen of the F1-ATPase. Such changes were not detected in a normotensive strain of rats. Our data indicate that Cyclosporine A administration is associated with structural alterations in renal mitochondria at the molecular level, predominantly in the medulla, and that additional renal damage due to ischemia or hypertension may predispose to this cyclosporine effect.