N-Acetyl-l-cysteine abolishes the bromoethylamine-induced choline incorporation into renal papillary tissue

The role of regenerative processes in the protective effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) against bromoethylamine-induced renal papillary necrosis was assessed in rats given bromoethylamine (BEA) (1.2 mmol/kg), N-acetylcysteine (6 mmol/kg), or N-acetylcysteine plus BEA. Renal papillary slices were dissected after 15 hours of treatment, and ¹⁴C-choline incorporation into total phospholipid, lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and phosphatidylcholine was measured. Bromoethylamine elicited an increase in the incorporation of ¹⁴C-choline into choline-containing phospholipid, an effect that was abolished when N-acetylcysteine was administered prior to bromoethylamine. These studies indicate that the defensive mechanism of N-acetylcysteine against bromoethylamine-induced renal papillary necrosis is not related to regenerative processes and that N-acetylcysteine abolishes the bromoethylamine-induced choline incorporation into papillary phospholipid. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.