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Renal Ischaemia Reperfusion Injury: A Mouse Model of Injury and Regeneration
Published on: June 7, 2014
N-acetyl cysteine ameliorates ischemic renal failure
J DiMari1, J Megyesi, N Udvarhelyi
1University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 77555-0562, USA.
The American Journal of Physiology
|March 1, 1997
Summary
N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) reduces the immediate early (IE) gene response and Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activity following ischemic renal injury. This intervention improves kidney function and histology, suggesting a protective role against renal damage.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Ischemic renal injury recovery involves DNA synthesis and immediate early (IE) gene response in distinct cell populations.
- Cellular stress activates stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs), inducing a non-proliferative IE response inhibitable by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK), a type of SAPK, are activated during renal ischemia.
- To investigate whether NAC administration reduces the IE response and/or JNK activity in ischemic renal injury.
Main Methods:
- Administration of NAC (6 mM/kg body wt) before and after inducing renal ischemia.
- Measurement of c-fos and c-jun gene expression.
- Assay of JNK activity.
- Assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and kidney histology at 1 and 7 days post-ischemia.
Main Results:
- NAC reduced c-fos and c-jun expression by 50% and 70%, respectively.
- Ischemia-induced JNK activity was inhibited by NAC.
- NAC-treated animals showed significantly higher GFR at 1 and 7 days post-ischemia compared to controls.
- NAC improved kidney histology at 7 days but did not reduce proximal tubule necrosis at 24 hours.
Conclusions:
- The immediate early gene response in ischemic-reperfused kidneys is linked to the stress-activated kinase pathway.
- Part of this IE gene response appears detrimental to kidney function and cellular integrity.
- NAC ameliorates renal function loss, potentially via antioxidant properties or interaction with nitric oxide (NO).
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