title: Colchicine suppresses osteopontin expression and inflammatory cell infiltration in chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colchicine (Col) is beneficial to renal injury because of its anti-inflammatory effect, but its mechanism has yet to be elucidated. The present study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of colchicine on osteopontin (OPN) expression and the macrophage accumulation in chronic cyclosporine (CsA) nephrotoxicity in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats on a low salt diet (LSD, 0.05% sodium) were treated daily with Col (30 microg/kg), CsA (15 mg/kg), and both CsA and colchicine or vehicle (olive oil 1 ml/kg) for 4 weeks. The effects of colchicine on chronic CsA nephrotoxicity were evaluated by examining renal function, histopathology, and ED-1 positive cells. The expressions of OPN mRNA and protein were estimated respectively by Northern blot and immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with vehicle-treated rats, CsA-treated rats showed an increase in serum creatinine, a decline in creatinine clearance rate, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis (all p < 0.01). Concomitant administration of colchicine reversed all of the above parameters (all p < 0.01). Of note, the upregulated expression of osteopontin mRNA and protein seen in CsA-treated rats was significantly decreased after colchicine treatment. Furthermore, the expression of osteopontin mRNA was strongly correlated with the number of ED-1 positive cells (r = 0.712, p < 0.001) and the tubulointerstitial fibrosis score (r = 0.586, p = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Colchicine is capable of abrogating the upregulation of chemotactic OPN expression and macrophage influx, and this is associated with improved renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in chronic CsA nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, KangNam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University of Korea, 505 BanPo-Dong, SeoCho-Ku, 137-040 Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chul Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hee Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Wan Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Cheol Whee
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung Kee
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Bang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000633:toxicity*; D005355:Fibrosis; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000633:toxicity; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D053495:Osteopontin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C506897:Spp1 protein, rat; D053495:Osteopontin; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003078:Colchicine