Silva VFPE, Pazetti R, Soto SDF, Siqueira MMQ, Correia AT, Jatene FB, Pego-Fernandes PM. Effects of mycophenolate sodium on mucociliary clearance using a bronchial section and anastomosis rodent model.
Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2011;
66:1451-6. [PMID:
21915499 PMCID:
PMC3161227 DOI:
10.1590/s1807-59322011000800024]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2011] [Accepted: 05/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of mycophenolate sodium on mucociliary clearance.
INTRODUCTION
Mycophenolate is one of the most commonly used immunosuppressive drugs in lung transplantation. Although its pharmacokinetic properties are well defined, its side effects on mucociliary clearance have not yet been studied.
METHODS
Sixty rats were subjected to left bronchial section and anastomosis. The right bronchus was used as a control. After surgery, the rats were assigned to two groups based on whether they received saline solution (n = 30) or mycophenolate sodium (n = 30). After 7, 15, or 30 days of treatment, 10 animals from each group were sacrificed, and in vitro mucus transportability, in situ mucociliary transport velocity and ciliary beat frequency were measured.
RESULTS
The analysis of mucus transportability revealed that neither mycophenolate nor bronchial section altered any transportability related property for up to 30 days of treatment after surgery (p>0.05). With regard to ciliary beat frequency, the operated left bronchi from the mycophenolate group showed a significant decrease on post-surgical day 30 (p = 0.003). In addition, we found a significant reduction in the in situ mucociliary transport velocity in the mycophenolate-treated group (p = 0.0001).
DISCUSSION
These data add important information regarding mucociliary clearance dysfunction following mycophenolate therapy and suggest that mycophenolate might contribute to the high incidence of respiratory tract infections in lung transplant patients. Further studies are needed to investigate the combined action of mycophenolate with other immunosuppressive drugs and to establish methods to protect and recover mucociliary clearance, an important airway defense mechanism.
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