Figure 4.

Inflammatory response is attenuated only by glucocorticoid treatment and not by kidney specific inactivation of the GR in crescentic glomerulonephritis. (A) Kidney-to-body weight ratios were increased in crescentic nephritis but did not correlate with GR KO or high–dose prednisolone treatment (steroid) 14 days after nephrotoxic serum injection. (B) Spleen-to-body weight ratios as a surrogate parameter for systemic inflammation were reduced significantly by steroid treatment but not reduced by GR KO. (C–F) CD3–positive T cells and ERHR3-positive macrophages were quantified within the glomerulus (arrowheads) and tubulointerstitium (arrows). Infiltrating cells were reduced significantly by high–dose prednisolone treatment (steroid) but not reduced by KO of GR (KO). Scale bars, 100 μm. (G) Cytokine mRNA expression levels (relative to mean of weight) in total renal cortex tissue lysates. Expressions of TGF-β, IL-6, and CCL5 were suppressed by prednisolone treatment. GR KO correlated with decreased expression of TGF-β and CCL2. Data are expressed as mean±SD (n=7–9 per group; genotypes of controls [wt/GR^fl/fl] and KOs [Pax8-Cre/GR^fl/fl]). *P<0·05; **P<0·01.