To identify the mechanism of cyclosporine-induced hypertension, we studied the effect of cyclosporine on the catecholamine synthetic pathway in rats. We administered cyclosporine (10 mg/kg per day, s.c.) for 3 days to 10-week-old male Wistar rats. Systolic blood pressure increased significantly in the cyclosporine-treated group in comparison to that in the control group. Norepinephrine and epin...

BACKGROUND Cyclosporin A is reported to impair endothelium-mediated vasorelaxation and induce endothelin release in some noncoronary vascular beds. We wished to determine whether acute cyclosporine administration induces endothelial dysfunction in coronary conductance or resistance arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the effect of intracoronary acetylcholine, N omega-nitro-L-arginine me...

BACKGROUND Hypertension is a frequent complication of cyclosporine-induced immunosuppression, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. In anesthetized animals, the administration of cyclosporine increases sympathetic-nerve discharge, which may contribute to hypertension. METHODS To determine whether cyclosporine-induced hypertension is accompanied by sustained sympathetic neural activation in...

We studied the effects of cyclosporine on experimental cryptococcal meningitis. Like cortisone, cyclosporine depressed the highly effective defense mechanisms of normal rabbits against inoculated Cryptococcus neoformans, causing them to develop progressive, fatal cryptococcal meningitis. Unlike cortisone, which causes a striking reduction in leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid, cyclosporine depre...

Cyclosporine toxicity mainly affects kidney and liver function. We have previously shown that cyclosporine nephrotoxicity alters kidney nitric oxide synthase mRNA pattern of expression. To determine if nitric oxide synthase expression changes are mediated directly by cyclosporine or by secondary hemodynamic alterations induced by cyclosporine, we evaluated if these effects are tissue specific a...

OBJECTIVES The long-term use of cyclosporine always contributes to chronic renal allograft dysfunction. Converting from cyclosporine to sirolimus and reducing cyclosporine dosage under high mycophenolate mofetil levels are 2 common therapies. Their efficacy and safety have not been compared in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this prospective, open label, randomized study, 51 kidney...

BACKGROUND/AIMS In patients with corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis (UC), cyclosporine or infliximab may be added to the treatment regimen to induce remission. Here, we aimed to compare the efficacy of cyclosporine and infliximab. METHODS Between January 1995 and May 2012, the medical records of 43 patients with corticosteroid-refractory UC who received either infliximab or cyclospo...

Cyclosporine is an immunomodulatory drug used to treat an increasing spectrum of diseases in dogs. Cyclosporine is a calcineurin inhibitor, ultimately exerting its inhibitory effects on T-lymphocytes by decreasing production of cytokines, such as interleukin-2. Although, in the United States, oral cyclosporine is approved in dogs only for treatment of atopic dermatitis, there are many other ind...

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease. In the treatment of psoriasis, cyclosporine is commonly prescribed systemic agents. However, long-term use of cyclosporine is not recommended because of side effects such as nephrotoxicity or hypertension. OBJECTIVE To ascertain the improved safety of rotational therapy using cyclosporine and methotrexate, we investigated the frequency o...