title: Darbepoetin-α treatment enhances glomerular regenerative process in the Thy-1 glomerulonephritis model.
abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that erythropoietin (EPO) and its analogs induce cytoprotective effects on many nonerythroid cells. In this study, we examined whether darbepoetin-α might prevent glomerular lesions in the Thy-1.1 model of glomerulonephritis (Thy-1-GN). GN was induced in Wistar rats by a single injection of monoclonal anti-Thy-1.1 antibody. Rats were killed at 24 h, 72 h, 7 days, 10 days, or 15 days after antibody injection. Kidneys were removed for histological analysis, and proteinuria was measured. Because at day 7 the maximal degree of renal damage and proteinuria was found, the effect of darbepoetin-α was tested at day 7 and two different protocols of administration were used; After anti-Thy-1.1 injection, rats received two doses of darbepoetin-α or vehicle at days 0 and 4 or at days 4 and 6. At day 7, proteinuria, plasma creatinine concentration, and renal morphology analysis were performed. Also, α-actin, desmin, caspase-3, and Ki67 protein expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that in both protocols of administration, darbepoetin-α treatment decreased proteinuria in Thy-1-GN rats and this effect correlated with the improvement in renal morphology. Glomerular lesions, α-actin, and caspase-3 protein expression, observed in most glomeruli of Thy-1-GN rats, were significantly reduced in darbepoetin-α-treated rats, while cell proliferation was significantly enhanced. The results indicate that darbepoetin-α treatment promotes glomerular recovery.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía,Cordoba, Spain. sagra99@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sagrario
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cañadillas
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Jose-Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Estepa
authors.forename: Jeronimo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egea
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Menchen
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perez-Seoane
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez-Andreu
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tetta
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin-Malo
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aljama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007518:Isoantibodies; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007518:Isoantibodies; C035678:anti-Thy antibody; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; D053148:Caspase 3