LAUSR

Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) glomerulonephritis (GN), characterized by glomerular crescent formation, requires early treatment because of poor prognosis. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a well-known antimalarial drug. In addition, it has immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and autophagy inhibitory effects and its recognized in the treatment of autoimmune disease such as SLE. However, its effect for anti-GBM GN is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of HCQ against anti-GBM GN in rats. 7 week old male, WKY rats were induced by the administration of anti-GBM serum (50μg/rat). We administered either HCQ (50mg/kg) or vehicle (Phosphate-buffered saline) from day 0 to day 7 after the induction of nephritis. Renal function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine, proteinuria, hematuria. Urine was collected for 24 hours on day 1, 3, 5, and 7. Rats were sacrificed on day 7 after induction of anti-GBM GN. Renal histological changes were assessed by PAS staining, and Masson trichrome stain, and macrophage was assessed by ED-1 stain. Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) was evaluated by western blotting (WB) and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by ELISA using urine. HCQ treatment suppressed renal function decline. Histologically, extracellular and intracellular cells were increased from day 1, fibrinoid necrosis and ED-1 positive cells were observed from day 3. Rats with anti-GBM GN had high levels of interferon-α, interleukin-6, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α. These changes were significantly suppressed by HCQ. In addition, HCQ suppressed phosphorylation of JNK/p38 MAPK. Our study showed that HCQ could attenuate anti-GBM GN and have an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting JNK/p38 MAPK activation. HCQ may have therapeutic potential in anti-GBM GN.