The leukotriene B4 receptor antagonist ONO-4057 inhibits nephrotoxic serum nephritis in WKY rats.

To evaluate the role of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) in glomerulonephritis, this study was conducted to examine whether ONO-4057, an LTB4 receptor antagonist, moderated nephritis caused by the injection of nephrotoxic serum (NTS) into Wistar-Kyoto rats. Rats were given intraperitoneal injections of ONO-4057 or phosphate-buffered saline 24 h before the injection of NTS. These rats subsequently received equal doses of ONO-4057 or phosphate-buffered saline 3 h and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 d later. Compared with the control groups, ONO-4057 treatment significantly reduced proteinuria and hematuria, suppressed the glomerular accumulation of monocytes/macrophages, and reduced the formation of crescentic glomeruli in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that LTB4 is responsible for the crescentic formations and renal dysfunction associated with NTS nephritis. The LTB4 receptor antagonist ONO-4057 may thus be beneficial in the treatment of crescentic glomerulonephritis.