Effects of cyclosporine A on deformability and oxidative stress in the peripheral lymphocytes of rats

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of CsA on lymphocyte deformability and oxidant-antioxidant system in peripheral lymphocytes in rats. Female Wistar Albino rats were injected 10 mg/kg/30 days Sandimmun i.p. the control rats were injected 0.9% NaCl. CsA administration caused a significant reduction in the deformability of lymphocytes, and produced a significant increase in peripheral lymphocytes lipid peroxide level and a significant decrease in nitric oxide (NO) level. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in peripheral lymphocytes did not show significant differences between CsA administrated and control rats. However the total thiol (t-SH) content of lymphocytes was significantly lower in CsA administrated rats. CONCLUSIONS: The present data demonstrate that CsA administration increased lipid peroxidation and decreased the NO levels and t-SH contents in the peripheral lymphocytes of rats. This effect was accompanied by a decrease in lymphocytes deformability. These results support the hypothesis that sufficient cellular t-SH concentrations may be important to prevent cyclosporin toxicity, and indicate that disturbances in lymphocytes rheology may be an additional risk factor in the pathogenesis of side effects associated with CsA.