Postinflammatory glomerular recanalization is established under the accommodation of transformed mesangial cells.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between mesangial cell proliferation and sclerosis has been studied using rat Thy-1.1 nephritis. The reconstruction of capillary lumina is essential for the repair of postinflammatory tissue damage in this type of glomerulonephritis.


METHODS
We administered thalidomide or STI571 to Thy-1.1 nephritic rats. Thalidomide was intended to be a sup-pressor of capillary proliferation, and STI571, which is known to be a tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, was used for preventing mesangial proliferation.


RESULTS
The thalidomide-treated group showed a significant increase of urinary protein on day 3. ED-1-positive cells stagnated longer and the matrix increase was delayed. STI571 caused suppression of mesangial proliferation, and microaneurysm remained longer than in the other 2 groups, which resulted in delay of glomerular capillary reconstruction. The number of alfa-SMA-positive cells appeared to be smaller in both the thalidomide- and the STI571-treated groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Thalidomide had an effect in the early period of the experiment; however, there was no influence on the repair of glomerular capillary at the end. STI571 treatment, which inhibited proliferation of alfa-SMA-positive cells, seems to show that some degree of mesangial cell proliferation is necessary to reconstruct capillary structures and to regain glomerular function.
Otani
Masako
M
Department of Pathology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. m-otani@sch.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
Zhang
Lianshan
L
Aoyagi
Daiju
D
Chowdury
Rownak
R
Shigematsu
Hidekazu
H
D000818:Animals; D001549:Benzamides; D002196:Capillaries / Q000503:physiopathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D009393:Nephritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000494:pharmacology; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens / Q000276:immunology
D001549:Benzamides; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D018800:Thy-1 Antigens; D013792:Thalidomide; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate