Interleukin-6 plays a protective role in development of cisplatin-induced acute renal failure through upregulation of anti-oxidative stress factors

AimsCisplatin, a major chemotherapeutic agent, accumulates in proximal tubules of the kidneys and causes acute renal failure dose-dependently. We previously reported that cisplatin induced more severe renal dysfunction in interleukin-6 (IL-6) knockout (IL-6−/−) mice than in wild-type (WT) mice. Expression of a pro-apoptotic protein was significantly increased with cisplatin in IL-6−/− mice compared to that in WT mice. IL-6, locally expressed in renal tubular cells after cisplatin administration, prevents the development of renal dysfunction at an early stage. In the present study, we focused on downstream signals of IL-6 and oxidative stress induced by cisplatin in order to evaluate the protective role of IL-6 in the development of acute renal failure.Main methodsWT and IL-6−/− mice were given either cisplatin (30 mg/kg) or saline intraperitoneally. Blood and kidney samples were collected at 24 h and 72 h after cisplatin administration. The changes in expression of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal protein (4-HNE, oxidative stress marker) and cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2), activities of superoxide dismutases and caspase-3, and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were examined.Key findingsCisplatin increased the expression of 4-HNE and cox-2, and phosphorylation of ERK in IL-6−/− mice than in WT mice. On the other hand, activity of superoxide dismutase, an anti-oxidative enzyme, was significantly decreased in the kidney obtained from IL-6−/− mice after cisplatin administration.SignificanceOur findings suggest that IL-6 plays a protective role in the development of cisplatin-induced acute renal failure through upregulation of anti-oxidative stress factors.