Beneficial effects of the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 in murine puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis.
OBJECTIVE
Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibition reduces systemic blood pressure (BP) and decreases renal damage in animal models of kidney disease. The aim of this study was to determine if ROCK inhibition might have beneficial effects in glomerular disease processes that are independent of systemic BP.


METHODS
We investigated the effects of the ROCK inhibitor Y27632 and hydralazine in murine puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) nephrosis.


RESULTS
Treatment with either Y27632 or hydralazine similarly reduced systolic BP compared to vehicle-treated controls. Seven days after treatment with PAN, albuminuria, proteinuria and effacement of podocyte foot processes were significantly reduced in Y27632- and hydralazine-treated mice compared to vehicle-treated animals. Treatment with PAN significantly reduced expression of the podocyte proteins nephrin and Neph1, and the loss of glomerular nephrin was attenuated by treatment with Y27632 but not by treatment with hydralazine. In cultured podocytes, PAN potently activated both Rho and ROCK, and PAN-induced ROCK activation was prevented by Y27632.


CONCLUSIONS
The ROCK inhibitor Y27632 attenuated glomerular nephrin loss in murine PAN nephrosis independent of its effects on systemic BP.
Wang
Liming
L
Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Duke University and Durham VA Medical Centers, Durham, NC, USA.
Ellis
Mathew J
MJ
Fields
Timothy A
TA
Howell
David N
DN
Spurney
Robert F
RF
D000577:Amides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000166:cytology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009401:Nephrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D050199:Podocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D011692:Puromycin Aminonucleoside; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000187:drug effects*
D000577:Amides; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011725:Pyridines; C113267:nephrin; C108830:Y 27632; D011692:Puromycin Aminonucleoside; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases