Ahmed Hassan Al-Rashidy
1,2*, Rasha Rabea Salem
3,4, Amal Abdelrasool Alhosary
5,6, Mohamed Hassan Wahdan
7,8, Gamal Mohamed Elnemr
9,10, Khalid Ebraheem Hassan
11, Atif Ibrahim Ali
121 Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine (Assiut), Al-Azhar University, Egypt
3 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, College of Medicine, Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
4 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt
5 Department of Clinical Pathology, College of Medicine (Female), Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
6 Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
7 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, College of Medicine, Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
8 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt
9 Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
10 Department of Medical and Radiological Researches, Nuclear Materials Authority, Egypt
11 Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
12 Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine (Cairo), Al-Azhar University, Egypt
Abstract
Introduction: Methotrexate (MTX) could provoke a renal dysfunction. However, beneficial
extra-hematopoietic effect of erythropoietin might guard against MTX-induced nephrotoxicity.
Objectives: Determination of renoprotective erythropoietin’s role against MTX-induced
nephrotoxicity through elucidating its renofunctional and renomorphological effects in adult
male albino rats.
Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 60 adult male Albino rats, equally
divided into three groups; group 1 (control): treated with intraperitoneal injections of normal
saline at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg BW twice weekly for 9 weeks. group 2: injected with MTX
hydrate intraperitoneal twice weekly at a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg BW for 9 weeks; and group
3: intraperitoneal injected with MTX hydrate in a similar dosage and duration like group 2
concomitant with subcutaneous injection of 100 IU/kg recombinant human erythropoietin
once weekly for 9 weeks. At the study end, serum urea and creatinine together with albuminuria
were measured, rats were sacrificed and renal sections were prepared for histopathological
examination.
Results: Significantly increased values of renal function analyzed substances with deteriorated
histopathological renal changes were detected in the MTX-treated group compared to
either the control or to the MTX and erythropoietin co-treated group. The later displayed
statistically significant decreased levels of the substances accompanied by remarkably
ameliorated microscopic renal changes. Additionally, insignificant statistical biochemical and
morphological renal differences were noticed between the third and control groups.
Conclusion: This study concluded valuable and efficient defense against MTX-induced
nephrotoxicity in adult male Albino rats when co-treated with erythropoietin.
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
Our study revealed that MTX had produced both renal functional and structural impairment. However, concomitant
administration of erythropoietin with MTX had protected the kidneys both biochemically and histopathologically.
Please cite this paper as: Al-Rashidy AH, Salem RR, Alhosary AA, Wahdan MH, Elnemr GM, Hassan1 KH, et al. Role of
erythropoietin in methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity in adult male albino rats. J Nephropharmacol. 2018;7(2):156-163.