OBJECTIVETo investigate the sites and pattern of renal toxicity in rats treated with cisplatin and the protective effect of amifostine, and to understand whether Fas/FasL system is involved in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

METHODSForty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group (0.9% saline solution), cisplatin group (6 mg/kg) and amifostine group (cisplatin 6 mg/kg + amifostine 200 mg/kg). Serum BUN and creatinine were measured by automatic biochemiscal analysis. Renal histopathological lesions were examined by light microscopy. TUNEL method was used for counting apoptotic cells. Immunohistochemistry and image analysis system were used for observing the expression of Fas/FasL system in renal tissues.

RESULTSCompared with control group and amifostine group, serum BUN and creatinine were significantly elevated on day 3 (P < 0.05) and day 5 (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively), and recovered to normal on day 10. Severe necrosis and apoptosis of renal proximal tubular cells were revealed by elevated number of positively staining apoptotic cells examined by TUNEL method. Increased immunostaining intensity of Fas/FasL system in renal tissues in cisplatin-treated group was detected by immunohistochemistry and image analysis system.

CONCLUSIONAmifostine can reduce cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and its mechanism is probably associated with the suppression of Fas/FasL expression in renal tissues.