BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus nephrotoxicity is thought to contribute to renal allograft dysfunction and subsequent failure, a process that is underpinned by alterations in mRNA expression of genes involved in matrix metabolism. The new anti-fibrotic pirfenidone was tested for its potential to reverse markers of renal dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were salt-depleted before tacrolimus and pirfenidone treatment. Serum creatinine, urinary protein/creatinine ratio, extracellular matrix deposition (ECM), and mRNA expression of genes involved in matrix turnover were assessed. RESULTS: Tacrolimus reduced TGF-beta mRNA expression below control levels and treatment with pirfenidone at all doses did not alter this effect. Likewise, TIMP-1 mRNA expression was depressed by the addition of tacrolimus and pirfenidone caused a further decrease in expression. Collagen III, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression was unchanged by tacrolimus, but pirfenidone reduced collagen III below control levels. ECM was slight (1-4%) and not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that pirfenidone can attenuate the limited fibrotic potential of tacrolimus.
BACKGROUND:Tacrolimus nephrotoxicity is thought to contribute to renal allograft dysfunction and subsequent failure, a process that is underpinned by alterations in mRNA expression of genes involved in matrix metabolism. The new anti-fibrotic pirfenidone was tested for its potential to reverse markers of renal dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Rats were salt-depleted before tacrolimus and pirfenidone treatment. Serum creatinine, urinary protein/creatinine ratio, extracellular matrix deposition (ECM), and mRNA expression of genes involved in matrix turnover were assessed. RESULTS:Tacrolimus reduced TGF-beta mRNA expression below control levels and treatment with pirfenidone at all doses did not alter this effect. Likewise, TIMP-1 mRNA expression was depressed by the addition of tacrolimus and pirfenidone caused a further decrease in expression. Collagen III, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression was unchanged by tacrolimus, but pirfenidone reduced collagen III below control levels. ECM was slight (1-4%) and not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that pirfenidone can attenuate the limited fibrotic potential of tacrolimus.
Authors: José Macías-Barragán; Ana Sandoval-Rodríguez; Jose Navarro-Partida; Juan Armendáriz-Borunda Journal: Fibrogenesis Tissue Repair Date: 2010-09-01
Authors: Jacob D Estes; Cavan Reilly; Charles M Trubey; Courtney V Fletcher; Theodore J Cory; Michael Piatak; Samuel Russ; Jodi Anderson; Thomas G Reimann; Robert Star; Anthony Smith; Russell P Tracy; Anna Berglund; Thomas Schmidt; Vicky Coalter; Elena Chertova; Jeremy Smedley; Ashley T Haase; Jeffrey D Lifson; Timothy W Schacker Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2014-09-22 Impact factor: 5.226