LAUSR

BACKGROUND We investigated the effects of a soluble carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (CORM) in cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in vitro. METHODS The effects of CORM-3 (12.5-200 μM) were assessed in normal kidney epithelial cells (HK-2, LLC-PK1) and renal cancer cells (Caki-1, Caki-2) subjected to cisplatin (50-200 μM) or IRI. To induce IRI, cells were placed in an anaerobic chamber (37°C, 95% nitrogen, 5% carbon dioxide) for 48 hours. Cells were transferred to complete medium and incubated at 37°C, 5% carbon dioxide for 6 hours. Cell viability (CCK assays), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α messenger RNA (mRNA) levels (quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), and protein expression of cleaved-caspase 3 and oxidative stress markers (including Erk1/2, JNK, and P38; Western blot) were assessed. RESULTS Viability after IRI was approximately 40% of control. Protective effects of CORM-3 in the IRI model were dose-dependent. Cell viability was 40% recovered in 200-μM CORM-3-pretreated cells compared with control. The protective effects of CORM-3 in cells exposed to cisplatin for 24 hours were weaker than in the IRI model. TNF-α mRNA was induced by stimulated IRI or cisplatin exposure; CORM-3 pretreatment attenuated the rise in TNF-α mRNA. IRI or cisplatin-induced activated oxidative stress markers decreased in CORM-3-pretreated cells. CORM-3 reduced expression of the apoptotic marker cleaved-caspase 3. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrate the protective effects of CORM-3 in cisplatin cytotoxicity and IRI in both normal kidney cells and renal cancer cells in vitro. CORM-3 exerts these effects by ameliorating inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.