Pentosan polysulfate treatment reduces cyclosporine-induced nephropathy in salt-depleted rats

Background. Long-term cyclosporine (CsA) treatment leads to a decreased glomerular filtration rate, hyalinosis of afferent arterioles, and striped cortical tubulo-interstitial fibrosis. We showed previously that pentosan polysulfate (SP54) prevented the development of microvascular and interstitial lesions in mouse models of progressive glomerulosclerosis. In this study, we examined the effect of pentosan polysulfate on the development of CsA nephropathy. Methods. Pair-fed Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a low-sodium (0.03%) diet and received CsA (15 mg/kg, subcutaneously, in olive oil)/5% glucose, pentosan polysulfate (10 mg/kg, subcutaneously in 5% glucose) plus CsA, olive oil/pentosan polysulfate, or olive oil/5% glucose for 30 days. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) was determined at three time points. Afferent arteriolar lesions, glomerular volume, and tubulo-interstitial lesions were quantitated. RNA was extracted from cortex. Results. Severe lesions were found in the CsA group. A reduction in the number of affected arterioles (32%) and the degree of chronic tubulo-interstitial lesions (44%) was found in pentosan polysulfate/CsA-treated rats. A 20% decrease in glomerular volume was found in CsA rats, but not in pentosan polysulfate/CsA-treated rats. Pentosan polysulfate treatment did not prevent the CsA-induced decrease in CrCl (similar to 30%) at 4 weeks. CsA did not affect cortical endothelial or neuronal nitric-oxide synthase or mRNA levels, but there was small increase in neuronal nitric-oxide synthase mRNA levels in the pentosan polysulfate/CsA-treated group. Conclusions. Pentosan polysulfate reduced structural renal lesions in CsA-treated, salt-depleted Sprague-Dawley rats.