Renal failure by bee venom may be related to a malfunction of renal transporters. However, the effects of bee venom on apical membrane transporters of renal proximal tubular cells are not yet known. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of dried bee venom of Apis mellifera and its melittin on apical transporter activity of primary cultured rabbit kidney proximal tubule cells. Bee venom (1 μg/ml) decreased the cell viability and increased lactate dehydrogenase activity over 30–min treatments. Its effect was blocked by mepacrine or AACOCF3 (10–6 M; phospholipase A2 inhibitors). However, there was no effect on cell viability at a concentration of 0.01 μg/ml of bee venom. Thus, we investigated the effect of bee venom (1 μg/ml) on the activity of renal transporters at 30 min. Bee venom inhibited α–methyl–D–glucopyranoside, Pi, and Na+ uptakes, but increased Ca2+ uptake. These effects of bee venom were blocked by mepacrine or AACOCF3 (10–6 M), and bee venom–induced stimulation of Ca2+ uptake was also blocked by methoxyverapamil and nifedipine (L–type calcium channel blockers). In addition, bee venom increased [3H]–arachidonic acid release by 216 % of that of control. In all experiments, bee venom melittin (0.5 μg/ml) had an identical effect to that of bee venom itself. In conclusion, bee venom inhibited, in part, α–MG, Pi, and Na+ uptakes through its melittin which increased Ca2+ uptake and arachidonic acid release in primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubule cells.

Keywords:
Apical transporters, Bee venom, Melittin
This content is only available via PDF.
2000
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.