The protective effect of recombinant human erythropoietin against cisplatin-induced renal and hepatic dysfunctions in Wistar rats

Abstract

I read with interest the recently published article by Rjiba-Touati and colleagues, entitled ‘‘The protective effect of recombinant human erythropoietin against cisplatin-induced renal and hepatic dysfunctions in Wistar rats,’’ in the esteemed journal of Human & Experimental Toxicology. The study has focused to explore the protective effect of recombinant human erythropoietin against cisplatin-induced renal and liver dysfunctions. They suggest that erythropoietin treatment restored body weight, organ weight, and organ ratio as well as serum biochemical parameters changed due to cisplatin exposure. I would like to mention a few points about cisplatininduced nephrotoxicity. Recently, I observed that estrogen abolished protective effect of erythropoietin against cisplatin nephrotoxicity in ovariectomized rats. In another experimental study, my colleagues and I found that L-arginine had protective effect against cisplatin nephrotoxicity in male rats; however, it promoted damage in female subjects. We described a gender-related difference in rat model of cisplatin nephrotoxicity. Since, the role of gender in cisplatin nephrotoxicity is not well known, we recently conducted a study on rat model of cisplatin nephrotoxicity and observed that losartan prevented cisplatin nephrotoxicity in male subjects, but it induced tubular damage in female subjects, which might be related to the rennin angiotensin system receptors in the kidneys. Additionally, we recently reported that vitamin E, vitamin C, or losartan had no ameliorative effects against cisplatin nephrotoxicity in the presence of estrogen in ovariectomized rats, which is in agreement with our previous findings. Kidney protective effect of erythropoietin was also shown in our previous studies. Therefore, it is well found that there is a sex difference in the cisplatin nephrotoxicity in rats. It is well known that some conditions that lead to chronic kidney disease are also sex related. The studies published regarding sex difference in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity are rare and needs to explore the mechanisms involved especially for gender differences. In this regard, to better understand the factor of gender difference in cisplatin nephrotoxicity, more experimental or clinical studies are suggested.