Korean J Physiol Pharmacol.  2002 Jun;6(3):155-160.

A Role of Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases and Inflammatory Responses in Gender Differences in Kidney Ischemia Injury

• Park KM
• Han HJ

Abstract

It is not known whether gender differences play a role in susceptibility to ischemic acute renal failure. Thus, we examined if there were any differences in susceptibility between male and female mice to kidney ischemic injury, and if so, whether it is due to differences in mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) or inflammatory responses to ischemia. Female mice were protected against kidney ischemia when compared with males. Thirty minutes of bilateral ischemia resulted in marked functional and morphological damages in males, but not in females. The ischemia-induced phosphorylation of c-jun N-terminal stress-activated protein kinases (JNKs) was higher in males than in females. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) was lower in males than in females. Post- ischemia medullary infiltration of RAW 264.7 cell, a monocyte-macrophage cell, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were greater in males than in females. In conclusion, males were much more susceptible to ischemia than females. The enhanced propensity to ischemic injury in males was correlated with greater activation of JNKs, greater expression of ICAM-1, and greater trapping of leukocytes in the medulla.

Keyword

Gender; Ischemia; Kidney; MAPK

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury
Animals
Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
Female
Humans
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
Ischemia*
Kidney*
Leukocytes
Male
Mice
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases*
Phosphorylation
Protein Kinases
Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases
Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Protein Kinases