The platelet activating factor receptor antagonist WEB 2170 improves glomerular hemodynamics and morphology in a proliferative model of mesangial cell injury.

Rats were treated with the platelet activating factor receptor antagonist WEB 2170 (15 mg/kg/day) in three different protocols to evaluate a possible role of platelet activating factor in an experimental proliferative model of glomerular disease. The glomerular immune injury was initiated by the i.v. administration of a rabbit anti-rat thymocyte antiserum. Anti-rat thymocyte antiserum induces a proliferative glomerulonephritis with reduction of glomerular filtration rate (614 +/- 94) compared with controls (1,120 +/- 192 microL/min/100 g body wt) when studied at day 7. Treatment of rats with WEB 2170 over 8 days (starting at day -1; protocol 1) ameliorated the loss in glomerular filtration rate (936 +/- 82 microL/min/100 g body wt) in nephritic rats at day 7; however, it had no effect on controls (1,142 +/- 104 microL/min/100 g body wt). Interventional treatment with WEB 2170 (starting at day 4 after anti-rat thymocyte antiserum; protocol 2) also improved glomerular function when glomerular filtration rate was already reduced (410 +/- 41 microL/min/100 g body wt) at day 4. The platelet activating factor receptor antagonist given at day 7 after induction of disease (protocol 3) did not improve impaired glomerular filtration rate. Preinterventional and interventional treatment with WEB 2170 reduced the infiltration of polymorphonuclear granulocytes in glomeruli. Interventional treatment with WEB 2170 also reduced glomerular morphologic damage in nephritic glomeruli. The data demonstrate a beneficial effect of the platelet activating factor receptor antagonist in this animal model of proliferative glomerulonephritis which suggests that platelet activating factor might play an important role in the mediation of this disease.