Cyclosporine A-induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in renal epithelial cells

Abstract

We studied the effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the proliferation of LLC-PK1 proximal tubule epithelial cells. DNA damage was found to be an early event in CsA nephrotoxicity and could be a sensitive indicator of CsA injury in renal epithelial cells. Cell cycle arrest induced by CsA was coincident with elevated p53 levels. It is possible that transactivating p21 may mediate the halting of the cell cycle through the CsA-induced accumulation of p53.