Effect of Pretreatment of Mycophenolate Mofetil on Apoptotic Cell Death and Map Kinases Activation in Rat Kidneys with Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury / 대한신장학회잡지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to investigate the effects of pretreatment of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) on mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase expression and apoptotic cell death in rat kidneys with ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: Three experiments were done separate ly, In the first experiment, the effect of MMF (20 or 60 mg/kg) on I/R injury was observed. In the second experiment, MAP kinase expression were observed according to the time interval after I/R injury. Finally, the effect of pretreatment of MMF (20 or 60 mg/kg) on I/R injury in terms of apoptotic cell death and MAP kinases were evaluated. We also studied pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1 and TNF-alpha) using PCR. RESULTS: BUN and Serum creatinine level in creased in rats with I/R injury but their levels were significantly decreased with MMF Pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha & IL-1) and apoptosis-related gene (caspase-1 and caspase-3 activities) were also significantly decreased as compared with rats with I/R injury. Expressions of MAP kinase were significantly increased in kidneys with I/R injury compared with sham-operated control, but significantly decreased with MMF pretreatment. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment of MMF showed a significant decreases of apoptotic cell death, apoptosis-related genes, and MAP kinase expression. This may explain beneficial effect of MMF on subsequent I/R injury.