L-arginine suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of RANTES in glomeruli.

Endotoxemia leads to the infiltration of inflammatory cells in glomeruli and the tubulointerstitium of the kidney. The ultimate mechanisms for this infiltration, however, are not entirely clear. In this study, the glomerular formation of the chemokine RANTES (regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted) was examined in an in vivo model of endotoxemia to evaluate the role the local release of chemokines might play in the regulation of this inflammatory cell infiltrate. Since the beneficial effects of nitric oxide (NO) on immune-mediated tissue injury have been reported, we also examined possible interactions between the chemokine RANTES and the L-arginine/NO pathway. To induce endotoxemia, rats were injected intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Glomeruli were isolated over a 24-h time period, and RANTES was assessed by Northern blotting, a chemotactic assay, and a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The chemokine release was associated with increased glomerular infiltration of monocytes/macrophages. LPS also stimulated the mRNA expression of inducible NO synthase and increased the release of nitrite into the supernatants of isolated glomeruli. Supplementation of L-arginine intake increased the release of glomerular nitrite and reduced glomerular RANTES expression after the injection of LPS. Inhibition of the L-arginine/NO pathway by the unspecific NO synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester significantly increased glomerular RANTES mRNA expression and the number of infiltrating glomerular macrophages. These data demonstrate that L-arginine suppresses glomerular RANTES formation and suggest that the chemokine-mediated recruitment of glomerular macrophages in LPS-induced endotoxemia can be modulated by the L-arginine/NO pathway.

Platelet-activating factor receptor antagonist improves renal function and glomerular lesions in renal ablation.

In the renal ablation model hemodynamic changes, glomerular hypertrophy, and the release of inflammatory mediators contribute to structural damage and functional changes. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) has both hemodynamic and immune-mediating properties. We therefore examined the role for a PAF receptor antagonist (WEB 2170) on glomerular hemodynamic function, albuminuria, and structural alterations in a rat model of renal ablation (Nx). WEB 2170 treatment was started 10 weeks after renal ablation, and the variables were assessed at 36 weeks after surgery. WEB 2170 significantly improved inulin and PAH clearances at 36 weeks (inulin clearance: Nx, 182 +/- 28 microliters/min/100 gm body weight; Nx plus WEB, 284 +/- 19 microliters/min/100 gm body weight; p < 0.05; PAH clearance: Nx, 718 +/- 85 microliters/min/100 gm body weight; Nx plus WEB, 1215 +/- 103 microliters/min/100 gm body weight; p < 0.05). Glomerular prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation was significantly increased in nephrectomized rats treated with WEB 2170 when compared with nephrectomized animals not treated (PGE2: Nx, 103 +/- 16 pg/min/mg protein; Nx plus WEB, 182 +/- 19 pg/min/mg protein; p < 0.01). The PAF receptor antagonist did not change albuminuria (Nx, 205 +/- 56 mg/24 hr; Nx plus WEB, 178 +/- 48 mg/24 hr). Glomeruli of rats treated with WEB 2170 had significantly fewer sclerotic lesions at 36 weeks when compared with untreated animals (Nx, 36.5 +/- 4.4%; Nx plus WEB, 19.3 +/- 3.7%; p < 0.05). The results demonstrate that a PAF receptor antagonist significantly improves whole kidney clearances and glomerular morphology.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

TGF-beta stimulates rat mesangial cell proliferation in culture: role of PDGF beta-receptor expression.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is known to increase mesangial cell (MC) matrix; however, its possible role on MC proliferation is controversial. We therefore studied the influence of TGF-beta on MC proliferation in culture and evaluated its effect on the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) B-chain as well as the expression of the PDGF beta-receptor. TGF-beta (1 ng/ml) increases MC DNA synthesis by approximately threefold after 48 h of incubation. TGF-beta-induced MC proliferation was also confirmed by cell counts. A neutralizing anti-TGF-beta antibody completely blocked this growth promoting activity. The levels of PDGF beta-receptor steady-state mRNA were increased by TGF-beta at 48 h. This was associated with an increase in receptor density per cell as measured by receptor kinetic studies. PDGF B-chain mRNA was also increased by TGF-beta at 48 h. A neutralizing anti-PDGF B-antibody causes no reduction of TGF-beta-induced DNA synthesis; however, suramin completely inhibited the mitogenic effect of TGF-beta. We conclude that TGF-beta stimulates MC growth in long-term culture, a process in which upregulation of the PDGF beta-receptor and enhanced synthesis of PDGF B-chain might be involved.

Angiotensin II stimulates the proliferation and biosynthesis of type I collagen in cultured murine mesangial cells.

A murine mesangial cell line (MMC) was established from the glomeruli of SJL mice to study the influence of angiotensin II (ANG II) on their growth and function in a serum-free culture. Murine mesangial cells exhibit the phenotypic characteristics of mesangial cells, including staining for desmin, vimentin, Thy 1, and types I and IV collagen by immunofluorescence. The addition of daily doses of 10(-6) to 10(-11) mol/l ANG II to MMCs also induced their proliferation in serum-free media. This effect on growth was independent of the presence of insulin in the media, and was receptor mediated, because the specific ANG II-receptor antagonist DuP 753 abolished proliferative growth. Angiotensin II also stimulated mainly the biosynthesis of type I collagen in our MMCs. Transfection of MMCs with chimeric genes containing enhancer/promoter elements for alpha 2(I) and alpha 1(IV) collagens linked to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter demonstrated that the stimulatory effect of ANG II for type I depends, at least to some extent, on an increase in transcription. These findings indicate collectively that ANG II in serum-free cultures can be a paracrine catalyst for the growth and biosynthesis of type I collagen in mesangial cells.

Cyclooxygenase inhibition enhances rat interleukin 1 beta-induced growth of rat mesangial cells in culture.

The cytokine interleukin 1 (IL-1) has growth-promoting activities on mesangial cells (MC) and enhances MC prostanoid formation. A possible role of endogenous cyclooxygenase products on IL-1-mediated growth of MC is, however, unknown. Therefore we evaluated the effect of cyclooxygenase inhibition on growth of mesangial cells in culture, which were exposed to DNA recombinant rat interleukin 1 beta (rIL-1 beta). rIL-1 beta increased [3H]thymidine uptake in MC by approximately 70% after 48 h. This growth-promoting activity of the cytokine was observed at 1 ng/ml and was not further enhanced by the increase of the IL-1 beta concentration less than or equal to 100-fold. IL-1 beta, however, dose dependently stimulated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation by MC. When prostaglandin synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin (Indo, 1 microgram/ml), rIL-1 beta (10 ng/ml)-induced cell proliferation was sevenfold greater compared with rIL-1 beta alone. In the presence of Indo (1 microgram/ml), rIL-1 beta (1, 10, 50, and 100 ng/ml) dose dependently stimulated MC proliferation. The addition of exogenous PGE2 (10(-7) and 10(-8) M) to Indo-treated MC blocked the mitogenic response of IL-1 beta. We conclude that endogenous PGE2 formation, which is stimulated by IL-1 beta, antagonizes the growth-promoting activity of the cytokine. PGE2 may thus exert antiproliferative effects in glomerular diseases, whereas IL-1 might mediate cell growth.

Heterogeneity of glomerular barrier function in early adriamycin nephrosis of MWF rats.

Adriamycin (ADR), selectively toxic to glomerular epithelial cells, was administered (5 mg/kg BW, i.v.) to MWF/Ztm rats to study its early effects on glomerular barrier function with respect to albumin and high molecular weight (HMW) proteins. After 7 days of ADR incubation (glomerular filtration rate remains unchanged), protein excretion was significantly increased in treated rats. The proteinuria was due to a nonselective glomerular lesions resulting in an increase in both, but not a changed ratio of HMW proteins to albumin. However, this ADR-induced proteinuria seen in the final urine was not confirmed by free-flow micropuncture studies of superficial glomeruli. The albumin and HMW protein concentrations in samples taken from Bowman's capsular space of ADR-treated rats did not significantly differ from control samples. These data suggest that cortical nephrons are less sensitive to ADR than juxtamedullary nephrons.