Pathophysiologic role of eicosanoids in mesangial cell immune injury

The pathophysiologic role of thromboxane and of arachidonate 5-lipoxygenation products in mediating changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal blood flow (RBF) was investigated in a rat model of mesangial cell immune injury induced by a monoclonal antibody (ER4) directed against the mesangial cell membrane antigen, Thy 1. Following a single intravenous dose of the ER4 antibody acute decrements in GFR and RBF occurred at 1 h and were associated with enhanced glomerular leukocyte infiltration and synthesis of thromboxane A2, 12-HETE and LTB4. Pretreatment of animals with the thromboxane synthase inhibitor, Furegrelate, or the thromboxane receptor antagonist SQ-29,548 ameliorated or completely abolished the decrements in GFR and RBF without reducing glomerular leukocyte infiltration. Pretreatment with the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor MK-886 partially ameliorated the decrements in GFR and RBF, reduced the glomerular leukocyte infiltration and completely inhibited the glomerular LTB4 synthesis. Combined treatment with Furegrelate and MK-886 completely abolished the decrements in GFR and RBF as well as the glomerular synthesis of thromboxane, LTB4 and 12-HETE without altering glomerular leukocyte infiltration. These observations indicate that in mesangial cell immune injury thromboxane A2 and arachidonate 5-lipoxygenation products originating from infiltrating inflammatory cells mediate the decrements in GFR and RBF. Selective inhibition of these eicosanoids could be of benefit in clinical forms of mesangial nephritis.