Cytokine inhibition preserves renal hemodynamic function following mesangial cell immune injury.

BACKGROUND

We assessed the effect of a cytokine inhibitor, compound SKF 86002 (a bicyclic imidazole), on changes in renal hemodynamics (renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate) that occur acutely following immune injury of glomerular mesangial cells.

METHODS

Injury was induced in Munich-Wistar rats by the administration of a monoclonal antibody against the mesangial cell membrane antigen Thy 1.1. An acute drop in renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) occurred within one hour of injury.

RESULTS

Pretreatment of animals with the cytokine inhibitor SKF 86002 prevented this drop. SKF 86002 had no effect on glomerular synthesis of vasoconstrictor eicosanoids.

CONCLUSIONS

The observations indicate that in mesangial cell immune injury, cytokines mediate renal hemodynamic impairment.