Role of tissue kallikrein in prevention and recovery of gentamicin-induced renal injury.

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that induces severe nephrotoxicity and acute renal failure. In the current project, we investigated the protective effects of tissue kallikrein (TK) protein administration (1 mug/h via osmotic minipumps) on kidney damage, apoptosis, and inflammation both during and after a 10-day regimen of gentamicin (80 mg/kg body weight/day sc) in Sprague-Dawley rats. TK infusion during gentamicin treatment significantly attenuated drug-induced renal dysfunction, cortical damage, and apoptosis.