BINDARIT PROLONGS SURVIVAL AND REDUCES RENAL DAMAGE IN NZB W LUPUS MICE/

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the effects o f bindarit on animal survival and renal damage in murine lupus autoimm une disease. Methods: Female NZB/W mice were used. Bindarit was admini stered, as a 0.5% medicated diet, starting either before the onset of the pathology or early in the course of the disease, in order to asses s the effects of age upon the response. Furthermore, the effects of co mbined administration of bindarit with low dose ip cyclophosphamide bo lus were also studied. Proteinuria and anti-dsDNA antibody levels were determined during the course of the study. Renal damage was evaluated by light microscopy. Results: Bindarit markedly prolonged the NZB/W m ouse life span (p < 0.001 vs. controls), showing a significant differe nce even against high dose cyclophosphamide (90 mg/kg ip bolus) chosen as the reference (p < 0.01). Bindarit significantly reduced the degre e of renal damage, delayed proteinuria and did not prevent autoantibod y development, thus confirming the lack of immunosuppressive activity. Conclusion: The present results and other experimental data demonstra ting the capacity of the drug to interfere with the inflammatory and i mmune response cross-talking, indicate that bindarit exerts its action in murine lupus through a novel and original mechanism. These finding s, coupled with the evidence that the drug possesses a safe toxicologi cal profile, suggest that further investigations to assess the potenti al value of bindarit in the treatment of SLE are warranted.