Agmatine attenuates rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury in rats in a dose dependent manner

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) 2018-09, Vol.208, p.79-86
• Main Authors: Sharawy, Maha H., Abdelrahman, Rehab S., El-Kashef, Dalia H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Acute Kidney Injury - etiology; Acute Kidney Injury - pathology; Acute Kidney Injury - prevention & control; Agmatine; Agmatine - pharmacology; AKI; Animals; Arginine; Creatine; Creatine kinase; Creatinine; Cytokines; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Gelatinase; Glutathione; Glycerol; Heme; Heme oxygenase (decyclizing); iNOS; Interleukin 1; Kidneys; Lipocalin; Male; Malondialdehyde; Muscles; NF-κB; NF-κB protein; Nitric oxide; Nitric-oxide synthase; Nrf2/HO-1; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxygenase; Peroxidase; Pretreatment; Proteins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rhabdomyolysis; Rhabdomyolysis - complications; Rodents; Serum levels; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Structure-function relationships; Studies; Superoxide dismutase; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Urea
• ISSN: 0024-3205; 1879-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.07.019

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious disorder that accompanies rhabdomyolysis (RM). The underlying mechanisms as well as protective approaches need to be investigated. This study was targeted to explore the prophylactic effect of agmatine (AGM), an endogenous metabolite of l-arginine against RM-induced AKI. A rat model was elucidated by 50% glycerol (10 ml/kg, im). Glycerol induced functional and structural alterations in the kidney. Pretreatment with AGM significantly ameliorated RM through decreasing total creatinine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels. AGM alleviated functional changes evidenced by decreased serum levels of creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and decreased urinary levels of albumin and proteins. Moreover, AGM decreased renal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and myeloperoxidase (MPO). Furthermore, AGM significantly increased renal levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Structural abnormalities confirmed by histopathological examination were also attenuated. AGM confers a dose-dependent protection against RM-induced AKI by preventing muscle degradation, alleviating oxidative stress and inhibiting production of cytokines and inflammation. Suggested mechanism of action for agmatine in interfering with glycerol nephrotoxicity signaling pathways. CK, creatinine kinase; CK-MB, creatine kinase-MB; ROS, reactive oxygen species; Nrf-2, nuclear erythroid-related factor 2; HO-1, heme oxygenase-1; NFkB, nuclear factor kappa B; GSH, reduced glutathione; SOD, superoxide dismutase; MDA, malondialdehyde; iNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; IL-1β, interleukin 1-beta; NGAL, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin. [Display omitted] •Agmatine attenuated rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury in rats.•Agmatine inhibited muscle degradation secondary to rhabdomyolysis.•Agmatine alleviated oxidative stress associating acute kidney injury.•Agmatine exerted anti-inflammatory effect via inhibiting production of cytokines.