Protective effect of telmisartan against cadmium-induced nephrotoxicity in mice

Aims: To investigate the nephroprotective effect of telmisartan, the angiotensin II receptor antagonist, against renal injury induced by cadmium in mice. Main methods: Mice received cadmium chloride at a dose of 1.2 mg Cd/kg/day, s.c., for nine weeks. Telmisartan treatment (1 mg/kg/day, orally) was started one week before cadmium administration and continued for ten weeks. Key findings: Telmisartan significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels which were increased by cadmium. Also, telmisartan significantly suppressed lipid peroxidation, compensated deficits in the antioxidant defenses [reduced glutathione (GSH) level and catalase activity], decreased the elevations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), nitric oxide (NO) and cadmium ion concentration, and attenuated the reductions of selenium and zinc ions in renal tissue resulted from cadmium administration. Histopathological examination revealed that cadmium-induced renal tissue damage was ameliorated by telmisartan treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that telmisartan significantly decreased the cadmium-induced overexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B), Fas ligand (FasL) and caspase-3 in renal tissue. Significance: Telmisartan, through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, effectively prevented cadmium nephrotoxicity in mice. Hence, telmisartan represents a potential candidate to protect the kidney from the detrimental effect of cadmium toxicity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.