title: Functional and histopathologic effects of rapamycin on mouse kidney.
abstract: The effect of rapamycin (RAPA) on kidney function and histopathology was assessed in two strains of mice. Male C3H/HeJ mice were treated with RAPA for 4 days at doses of 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg, ip and male C3H/HeJ or female Balb/cJ mice were both treated for 7 days at doses of 75, 150 and 200 mg/kg. Cyclosporine (CsA) was also administered to female Balb/cJ mice at doses of 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg, ip. RAPA-treated mice had elevated BUN levels but the effect was not dose-dependent and was not present in the high dose, 7-day study conducted in the C3H/HeJ mice. Body weights were significantly depressed in both of the 7 day studies but not in the 4 day study. Histopathologic examination of the kidneys revealed the presence of intracytoplasmic vacuolization in the proximal tubules in both of the 7 day studies at the higher dose only. There were no drug-related deaths. In the CsA-treated mice, multiple deaths were recorded in both the 150 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg dose groups, probably related to neurotoxicity, and BUN levels were elevated in the 100 mg/kg dose group. In conclusion, RAPA's effects on kidney function were minimal at doses 50 times higher than its therapeutic dose established in the mouse. RAPA exhibited a better therapeutic index than CsA in the mouse.
authors.affiliation: Wyeth-Ayerst Research, Pinceton, New Jersey 08543-8000.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Di Joseph
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Sehgal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011090:Polyenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D020123:Sirolimus
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011090:Polyenes; D016572:Cyclosporine; D020123:Sirolimus