Exacerbation of experimental pyelonephritis by cyclosporin A

Abstract

An athymic rat strain lacking functional T cells was used to assess the role of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in host defence against renal infection. CMI was ruled out as a relevant host defence component, but when cyclosporin A (CsA) was administered to athymic animals, renal infection was exacerbated. CsA is thought to affect T lymphocyte function and, in the absence of a target cell, cellular defences in the athymic animal were not expected to be compromised by CsA. An effect on noncellular defence mechanisms was therefore considered but our studies did not support this explanation-rather they indicated a depression of either cellular defences or of a specific cellular component. The present experiments have provided additional information on the relationship between CsA administration and the depression of host defence mechanisms but further studies will be necessary to identify the components affected.

Proliferative and Nonproliferative Lesions of the Rat and Mouse Urinary System

“…Inflammatory changes in the medulla extend radially into the cortex. Although commonly associated with primary papillary necrosis, pyelonephritis without concomitant papillary injury is also occasionally encountered as a druginduced lesion in toxicity studies, particularly with immunosuppressive compounds such as cyclosporine which affect T cell function and cell mediated immunity (Miller and Findon 1988). Specific virulence factors have been identified which enhance the pathogenicity of the bacteria, with E. coli and Proteus species as the most commonly isolated pathogens taken from lesions in rodents (Pichon et al 2009;Rice et al 2005 Comment: The cortical interstitium is normally composed of a network of fibroblasts and dendritic cells with only a small number of lymphocytes or macrophages (Kaissling and Le Hir 2008).…”

Cyclosporin A Reduces the Severity of Cold-Restraint-Induced Gastric Lesions: Role of Leukocytes

“…In another group, rats were injected over a similar time course with an equal amount of olive oil before cold-restraint administration. The concentration of CsA has proven to be doses of choice in organ transplantation and experimental studies [1,14].…”