TRANILAST AMELIORATES RENAL TUBULAR DAMAGE IN UNILATERAL URETERAL OBSTRUCTION

Purpose: We determined whether tranilast, the anti-allergic agent N-(3, 4-dimethoxyciannamoyl)-anthranilic acid, would diminish renal transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) levels in unilateral ureteral obstruction and concomitantly affect renal tubular apoptosis and proliferation in that condition.Materials and Methods: Tranilast (150 mg./kg.) was administered to rats 1 day before unilateral ureteral obstruction and each day thereafter. Kidneys were harvested day 14 after unilateral ureteral obstruction. Tissue TGF-β was measured by bioassay using mink lung epithelial cells. Renal tubular proliferation and apoptosis were detected by immunostaining proliferating cell nuclear antigen and the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling assay, respectively. Fibrosis was assessed by measuring collagen deposition with trichrome stained slides.Results: TGF-β bioassay showed that obstructed kidneys in controls contained significantly higher mean TGF-β plus or minus st...