Glomerular hemodynamics and hormonal participation on cyclosporine nephrotoxicity

The mechanism of cyclosporine A (CyA) nephrotoxicity is unclear. In order to evaluate renal microcirculation seven euvolemic Munich-Wistar (MW) rats were studied after acute CyA treatment (50 mg/kg, i.v.). Both total glomerular filtration rate (GFR, 0.96 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.47 +/- 0.07 ml/min) and single nephron GFR (27.90 +/- 3.39 vs. 14.02 +/- 3.49 nl/min) declined significantly (P less than 0.001). It was observed an increase in afferent (RA, increases 188%) and efferent (RE, increases 360%) arteriolar resistances that caused a decrease on glomerular plasma flow rate (QA) from 100.99 +/- 17.09 to 44.37 +/- 13.37 nl/min (P less than 0.001). Mean glomerular capillary hydraulic pressure (PGC) increased from 45 +/- 1 to 55 +/- 4 mm Hg (P less than 0.05) and the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient (Kf) decreased by 70% (0.096 +/- 0.030 to 0.031 +/- 0.010 nl/sec X mm Hg, P less than 0.05). Additionally, in order to study hormonal participation in this nephrotoxicity, other three groups of MW rats were previously treated with captopril (2 mg/kg, i.v.), verapamil (20 micrograms/kg/min, i.v.) or indomethacin (2 mg/kg, i.v.). Both captopril and verapamil minimized the renal effects of CyA, with a decline of approximately 25% instead of approximately 50% on GFR and RPF. Moreover, two groups of Brattleboro rats were studied. Acute CyA administration in homozygote Brattleboro rats produced a decline of only approximately 22% and approximately 31%, respectively, in GFR and renal plasma flow (RPF), when compared with MW rats (P less than 0.05). Similar results were observed in heterozygote Brattleboro rats when compared with MW rats, disclosing differences due to a different strain of rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)