title: The association between neopterin and acetaminophen-induced nephrotoxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In large dosages, acetaminophen (APAP) produces acute kidney necrosis in most mammalian species. High neopterin levels have been accepted as strong indicators for the clinical severity of some diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether neopterin is a biomarker in the identification of APAP-induced nephrotoxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, APAP-1, and APAP-2 groups. APAP-1 and APAP-2 group rats were given a single dose of 1 and 2 g/kg body weight of APAP by gastric tube, respectively. Kidney tissues and blood samples were obtained for biochemical and histopathological analyses. Biochemical parameters, serum and kidney neopterin levels, and the grade of tubular injury were compared in the control, APAP-1, and APAP-2 group animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  APAP treatments caused tubular necrosis in the kidney and increase in serum creatinine concentrations accompanied by elevated serum and kidney neopterin levels. In the rats of groups APAP-1 and APAP-2 when compared with that of the control group (109.1 pmol/mg protein), median kidney neopterin concentrations were 162.1 (p = 0.089) and 222.2 (p < 0.001) pmol/mg protein, respectively. The grade of tubular injury of the APAP-1 and APAP-2 groups was higher than the group of control (both p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum and kidney neopterin levels could be sensible alternative to evaluate the risk to have nephrotoxicity because of APAP overdose. The elevated serum and kidney neopterin in the APAP-induced tubular necrosis might be a marker of acute histological kidney injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdinc
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.forename: Ozgur E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Akgul
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Tuncer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cayci
authors.forename: Yasemin Gulcan
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Onguru
authors.forename: Fevzi N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agilli
authors.forename: Halil
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: Nail
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ersoz
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bilgic
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guven
authors.forename: Turker
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Turker
authors.forename: Cumhur
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bilgi
authors.forename: Kemal M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Erbil
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D019798:Neopterin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D015415:Biomarkers; D000082:Acetaminophen; D019798:Neopterin