Cyclosporin A-induced hydrogen peroxide synthesis by cultured human mesangial cells is blocked by exogenous antioxidants.

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is the immunosupressor most widely used in transplanted patients for preventing organ rejection, but it has some toxic side effects in vascular beds and kidney. The purpose of this work was to study if H2O2, a reactive oxygen species, is involved in the CsA-induced toxic effects on kidney in vitro. Human mesangial cells (HMC) in culture were incubated in presence of CsA (10[-5]-10[-8]M) and H2O2 was measured by flow cytometry. The specificity of the probe used in this method was demonstrated as fluorescence was not detected when superoxide anion generated through a Xanthine-Xanthine oxidase system was present, but fluorescence was noted when H2O2 was present in the incubation medium, both directly and after addition of superoxide dismutase to the medium thus promoting H2O2 synthesis. CsA induced a significant dose and time-response increased H2O2 synthesis by cultured HMC. This increase appeared 5 min after CsA addition, being maximal between 15-45 min at CsA concentration of 10(-7)M. When HMC were preincubated with antioxidants as vitamin E or selenium, the CsA-induced H2O2 production was partially blocked. In addition, selenium also induced an increased activity of glutathion peroxidase in HMC after 24 hours of incubation, suggesting that it exerted its H2O2 scavenging action through the modulation of the activity of this enzyme.