Fucoidin, an inhibitor of leukocyte adhesion, exacerbates acute ischemic renal failure and stimulates nitric oxide synthesis.

Objectives: To lessen renal ischemic injury caused by fucoidin, a substance capable of reducing tissue infiltration by neutrophils, and to seek a possible interrelationship with the nitric oxide system which may also modulate leukocyte infiltration.

Material And Methods: Acute ischemic renal failure was induced in rats by uninephrectomy followed by 60 min of clamping of the renal artery. The rats were injected with fucoidin (25 mg/kg) or fucoidin+nitroprusside (2.5 mg/kg) before reperfusion, and urine was collected for 24 h afterwards. Serum and urine were examined for creatinine sodium and protein; creatinine clearance and fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) were calculated. The renal tissue of the sacrificed animals was examined histologically for tissue damage and histochemically for myeloperoxidase, a marker of neutrophil infiltration. The nitric oxide system was evaluated by measuring urinary nitrates and inducible nitric oxide synthase messenger RNA (iNOs mRNA).

Results: Renal failure was more severe in the fucoidin group than the nitroprusside group (creatinine clearance 0.11+/-0.08 ml/min for ischemia+fucoidin versus 0.26+/-0.11 ml/min for ischemia only; p<0.002). Adding nitroprusside to fucoidin lessened the decline in creatinine clearance (0.13+/-0.13 ml/min; p=NS). Fucoidin was associated with greater tubular damage, as evidenced by increased FENa (7.2%+/-2.8% vs 1.51%+/-1.96% for ischemia only; p<0.001). Nitroprusside weakened this trend. Fucoidin caused an increase in the fractional excretion of nitrates, a response accompanied by increased iNOS mRNA.

Conclusions: Fucoidin failed to protect the kidney from ischemic damage and was even nephrotoxic. It also stimulated the formation of iNOS RNA.