Urinary concentration defect and renal glycosuria in cyclosporine-treated rats

Abstract

Background: Urinary concentration impairment is a major feature of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity.

Methods: We explored two possible mechanisms that may underlie cyclosporine-induced polyuria; water, and/or osmotic diuresis. Cyclosporine was subcutaneously injected to normal salt-fed Sprague-Dawley rats at a daily dose of 25 mg/kg for 2 weeks (Experiment I) and 7.5 mg/kg for 6 weeks (Experiment II).

Results: In Experiment I, cyclosporine treatment caused an increase in urine volume (2.7±0.5 vs. 10.3±1.13 mL/d/100 g BW, p<0.001) and a decrease in urine osmolality (2,831±554 vs. 1,379±478 mOsm/kg H2O, p<0.05). Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) protein expression decreased in cyclosporine-treated rat kidneys (cortex, 78±8%, p<0.05; medulla, 80±1%, p<0.05). Experiment II also showed that urine volume was increased by cyclosporine treatment (4.97±0.66 vs. 9.65±1.76 mL/d/100 g BW, p<0.05). Whereas urine osmolality was not affected, urinary excretion of osmoles was increased (7.5±0.4 vs. 14.9±1.4 mosmoles/d/100 g BW, p<0.005). Notably, urinary excretion of glucose increased in cyclosporine-treated rats (7±1 vs. 10,932±2,462 mg/d/100 g BW, p<0.005) without a significant elevation in plasma glucose. In both Experiment I and II, GLUT2 protein expression in the renal cortex was decreased by cyclosporine treatment (Experiment I, 55±6%, p<0.005; Experiment II, 88 ±3%, p<0.05).

Conclusion: Both water diuresis and osmotic diuresis are induced by cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. AQP2 and GLUT2 downregulation may underlie water and osmotic diuresis, respectively.