Adenine nucleotide and calpain inhibitor I protect against atractyloside-induced toxicity in rat renal cortical slices in vitro

. Atractyloside is a compound with a documented nephrotoxicity. It induces renal tubular necrosis at high doses and apoptosis at lower doses. This study investigates the potential protective effect of some chemical agents against atractyloside-induced nephrotoxicity in vitro using the precision-cut rat renal cortical slices obtained from kidneys of Wistar rats. For co-incubation experiments, slices were incubated for 3 h at 37°C on a rocker platform with various chemical agents: ADP (5 mM), calpain inhibitor I (CPI, 1 mM), stevioside (STV, 2.5 mM) or probenecid (PRB, 2.5 mM) in the presence or absence of atractyloside (2 mM). For pre-incubation experiments, slices were incubated with the same chemical agents for 1 h before exposure to atractyloside. The nephrotoxic effects of atractyloside (2 mM) alone were manifested in several ways: by a marked increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) leakage, significant inhibition of p -aminohippurate (PAH) accumulation, marked depletion of intracellular ATP and reduced glutathione (GSH), and a significant reduction in pyruvate-stimulated gluconeogenesis. Co-incubation of slices with ADP or CPI and atractyloside completely blocked atractyloside-induced increase in LDH leakage, but not ALP leakage. Atractyloside-induced depletion of ATP and reduced gluconeogenesis was prevented by co-incubation with ADP or CPI. Furthermore, co-incubation of slices with STV and atractyloside, but not PRB, completely abolished atractyloside-induced depletion of ATP and decreased gluconeogenesis in the slices. Pre-incubation of slices with either ADP or CPI protected against atractyloside-induced increase in LDH leakage, reduced ATP and decreased gluconeogenesis. PAH uptake in the slices was inhibited by atractyloside and PRB in a time-dependent manner. While ADP and CPI were found to exert complete protection against atractyloside-induced toxicity irrespective of treatment schedule, STV is effective only under certain conditions, and PRB offer no protection at all. The results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of renal cortical slices as toxicology tool for evaluating and screening compounds for their potential protective effects, and are supportive of a role of adeninine nucleotide (ADP) and protease inhibitor (CPI) in protecting against atractyloside-induced cell injury.