Exacerbation of experimental pyelonephritis by cyclosporin A

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
An athymic rat strain lacking functional T cells was used to assess the role of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) in host defense against renal infection. CMI was ruled out as a relevant host defense component, but when cyclosporin A (CsA) was administered to athymic animals, renal infection was exacerbated. CsA is thought to affect T lymphocyte function and, in the absence of a target cell, cellular defenses in the athymic animal were not expected to be compromised by CsA. An effect on noncellular defense mechanisms was therefore considered but our studies did not support this explanation-rather they indicated a depression of either cellular defenses or of a specific cellular component. The present experiments have provided additional information on the relationship between CsA administration and the depression of host defense mechanisms but further studies will be necessary to identify the components affected.