Cisplatin is used as a treatment for various types of solid tumors. Renal injury
severely limits the use of cisplatin. Renal cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation
contribute to cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. Previously, we found that an extract of
Rhodobacter sphaeroides (Lycogen™) inhibited proinflammatory cytokines and the
production of nitric oxide in activated macrophages in a dextran sodium sulfate
(DSS)-induced colitis model. Here, we evaluated the effect of Lycogen™, a potent
anti-inflammatory agent, in mice with cisplatin-induced renal injury. We found that
attenuated renal injury correlated with decreased apoptosis due to a reduction in caspase-3
expression in renal cells. Oral administration of Lycogen™ significantly reduced the
expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β in mice with renal injury.
Lycogen™ reduces renal dysfunction in mice with cisplatin-induced renal injury. The protective effects of the treatment included blockage of the cisplatin-induced elevation in
serum urea nitrogen and creatinine. Meanwhile, Lycogen™ attenuated body weight loss and
significantly prolonged the survival of mice with renal injury. We propose that Lycogen™
exerts anti-inflammatory activities that represent a promising strategy for the treatment of
cisplatin-induced renal injury.