Effect of the NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate on the apoptosis and proliferation of mesangial cells in the rat with anti-thymocyte serum nephritis

AIM: To explore the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), the specific inhibitor of NF-κB, on anti-thymocyte serum nephritis (ATSN) in rats. METHODS: The rat model of ATSN was reproduced with rabbit anti-thymocyte serum (ATS). The rats were divided into ATSN group, ATSN+PDTC group and control group. The expression of NF-κB p65 and the apoptosis, lysis as well as proliferation of mesangial cells (MC) were examined by immunohistochemical staining, Tdt-mediated X-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), light microscope and electron microscope at 40 minutes, 24 hours and 7 days after injection of ATS or normal serum. RESULTS: The expression of glomerular NF-κB p65 in the ATSN group was observed with significant difference compared to controls at 40 min (P0.01), it was elevated more at 24 hours, and was significantly increased at day 7, but the expression of NF-κB p65 in ATSN+PDTC group was less than that in ATSN group. The proliferation of glomerular MC and the secretion of extracellular matrix (ECM) in ATSN group were less than those in ATSN+PDTC group on day 7. PDTC had little role in the pathologic changes of rats in ATSN group in early stage (40 min and 24 hours), but affected the MC proliferation. CONCLUSION: PDTC, an inhibitor of NF-κB, suppresses glomerular MC proliferation in rats with ATSN.