The effects of pentoxifylline into the kidneys of rats in a model of unilateral hindlimb ischemia/reperfusion injury

Abstract

To study the role of pentoxifylline (PTX) on remote kidney injury caused by muscle ischemia of left hindlimb of rats. After xylazine and ketamine anesthesia, the left hindlimb of rats (n=66) were submitted to 6 hours ischemia (clamping the left common iliac artery). Three groups were used: sham group (SG, n=6), early group (EG, n=30) with reperfusion after 4 hours and late group (LG, n=30) with reperfusion after 24 hours. The saline solution (EG1, n=10 and LG1, n=10) or PTX (40 mg.Kg-1) was administered in the reperfusion beginning (EG2, n=10/LG2, n=10) or divided in two doses in the ischemia beginning and reperfusion beginning (EG3, n=10/LG3, n=10). The plasmatic creatinokinase, urea, creatinine, sodium and potassium values were measure and histological samples from left kidney were prepared and H&E stained for scored cellular necrosis and degeneration of kidney tubules and thickness glomerulus determination. The apoptosis index was determined by immunohistochemical expression of the caspase-3. The tests of Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis (p <or= 0.05) were applied. The urea (90.5 +/- 30.96 mg.dL-1), creatinine (2.28 +/- 0.54 mg.dL-1), potassium (16 +/- 3.66 mmol.dL-1) and mesangium thickness (0.97 +/- 0.42 microm) values were significantly higher in group LG3. There was no significantly difference of caspase 3 expression between EG2 (16.35 +/- 1.65%) and LG3 (15.57 +/- 2.54%), and both were significantly worse than SG (9.8 +/- 1.98%). The PTX has some protecting effect on remote kidney injury due to hindlimb ischemia/reperfusion injury only in the early phase of reperfusion.