title: Suppression of mesangial-cell proliferation by trapidil in glomerulonephritis induced by anti-thymocyte serum in rats.
abstract: Trapadil (Mochida Pharmaceuticals, Japan), an antiplatelet drug, suppresses the growth of several cell types and is thought to antagonize platelet-derived growth factor. The effects of trapidil on mesangial-cell proliferation in glomerulonephritis induced by anti-thymocyte serum in Wistar rats were investigated. Control rats were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (group I); group II rats were injected with a single dose of anti-thymocyte serum (8 ml/kg body weight), and group III rats were treated with both a single dose of anti-thymocyte serum (8 ml/kg body weight) and with trapidil (5 mg/kg body weight/day). Three rats in each group were killed on day 3, and the other three on day 10. Control rats showed no significant histological changes on day 3 or day 10. In group II, on day 3, there was a marked decrease in glomerular cell numbers, with mesangiolysis. Histologically severe mesangial-cell proliferation with expansion of mesangial areas was noted on day 10. None of the rats in group III showed mesangial alterations, histologically, indicating that mesangial-cell proliferation was suppressed by trapidil. This suppression may result from antagonism of the binding of platelet-derived growth factor to the specific surface receptors in the mesangial cells. Trapidil may have clinical value in the treatment of mesangial-cell proliferative glomerular diseases.
authors: Second Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Razzaque
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cheng
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Taguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014192:Trapidil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014192:Trapidil