Is cyclosporine toxic to the heart?
Cardiotoxicity caused by cyclosporine was studied in experimental rats by the uptake of radiopharmaceuticals (technetium 99m-labeled pyrophosphate and indium 111-labeled antimyosin) and histologic examination of heart tissues. A dose of 50 mg/kg (body weight) of cyclosporine and an equal volume of vehicle (cremophor-EL) were injected into the rats subcutaneously for 7 or 11 consecutive days. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was noted between the uptake of the radiopharmaceuticals in the hearts of cyclosporine-treated rats compared to the control rats. For 99mTc pyrophosphate, the cardiac uptake ratios of cyclosporine-treated rats to control rats were 2.13 and 4.08 for 7-day and 11-day treatment periods, respectively. For 111In antimyosin, the ratios were greater than 2 for both 7-day and 11-day treatment periods. Histologically, vacuoles were found in single or focal groups of myocytes with interstitial edema in the hearts of cyclosporine-treated rats compared to the control rats. The results of both the uptake of the radiopharmaceuticals and the histologic evidence indicate cell injury in the hearts of cyclosporine-treated rats. Cyclosporine therefore seems to be toxic to the heart tissue.
Owunwanne
A
A
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat.
Shihab-Eldeen
A
A
Sadek
S
S
Junaid
T
T
Yacoub
T
T
Abdel-Dayem
H M
HM
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity*; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007205:Indium Radioisotopes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C058899:imciromab pentetate; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D016572:Cyclosporine