Side effects of cyclosporine-A treatment in rats: gingival overgrowth and early hyperglycemia.

Gingival overgrowth is an adverse side effect of cyclosporine A (CsA) in the treatment of transplanted patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of CsA on new-onset diabetes mellitus and gingival overgrowth in rats, by measuring collagen, nitric oxide and microvascular permeability. Blood glucose level, collagen, nitric oxide level and vascular permeability were determined. Blood glucose level increased significantly from 6.5 +/- 0.9 for the control group to 15+/- 1.2, 17 +/- 1.2 and 21.6+/- 1.6 mM/L at 1, 4 or 8 weeks of CsA treatment, respectively. Collagen (ug HO Proline/mg p) increased significantly from 2.5+/- 0.5 for the control group to 4.2+/- 0.8, 5.9+/- 0.6 and 7.3 +/- 0.8 at 1, 4 or 8 weeks of CsA treatment, respectively. Vascular permeability was 10.3+/- 1.2 for the control group and 15+/-1; 17.2 +/- 1.3, and 22.1+/- 2.1 ug EB/g T; at 1, 4 or 8 weeks of CsA treatment, respectively. Nitric oxide level was 3.5 +/- .9 umol/mg P for the control group and 4+/- 0.2, 8.2+/- 0.9 and 11+/-1 for 1, 2 or 8 weeks of CsA treatment, respectively. These findings appear to indicate that the development of significant gingival changes induced by CsA is related to new-onset of diabetes mellitus during the immunosuppressive treatment.