Endothelin A receptor mediates functional but not structural damage in chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity.

Chronic treatment with cyclosporine (CsA) is limited not only by glomerular hypofiltration but also by structural damage. The pathogenesis of these nephrotoxicities was studied in a model of chronic CsA-induced renal damage. Salt-depleted rats were treated with daily CsA (15 mg/kg sc) for approximately 3 weeks, at which time renal function was measured and kidneys were harvested for morphologic assessment. A separate group of rats (CsA + BQ123) were identically treated with CsA but in addition also received simultaneous treatment with a specific endothelin A (EtA) receptor antagonist, BQ123, which was continuously delivered via sc osmotic pump (1 mg/kg per hour) and maintained throughout the study. Chronic CsA treatment caused profound functional and structural damage, although blood pressure was normal (102 +/- 6 mm Hg); GFR was 0.05 +/- 0.02 mL/min per 100 g body wt, and RPF was 0.15 +/- 0.06/100 g body wt. Renal injury was scored on a scale of 0 to 4 and showed dilation/vacuolization of 1.07 +/- 0.29 and tubulointerstitial fibrosis of 0.78 +/- 0.17. Arteriolopathy was present in 78 +/- 4% of arterioles. Chronic antagonism of the EtA receptor preserved renal function: GFR was 0.15 +/- 0.03 mL/min per 100 g body wt, and RPF was 0.32 +/- 0.08/100 g body wt (P < 0.05 for GFR versus CsA). Blood pressure was not affected: 104 +/- 8 mm Hg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)