Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a consequence of diabetes mellitus (DM), in which hyperglycemia triggers osmotic and oxidative stress and activates inflammatory pathways. These processes damage kidney cells, with mesangial cells (MCs) undergoing mesangial expansion. Antihyperglycemic drugs prevent the progression of renal disease. Although tamsulosin is not conventionally used for the treatment of DN, its previously reported anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects in liver and lung injury models suggest that it may exert renoprotective actions like those of pioglitazone, which has also been shown to improve cellular carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. MCs were exposed to 20 mM glucose medium and treated with either 50 nM tamsulosin or 100 nM pioglitazone. Subsequently, cell proliferation, inflammatory markers (NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-17), fibrogenic markers (TGF-β, collagen I), oxidative stress parameters (NRF2, superoxide), and indicators of mesangial activation (α-SMA, rhodamine–phalloidin) were assessed in vitro. Both treatments reduced cellular proliferation and hypertrophy, attenuated the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased IL-17 and α-SMA expression, and reduced mesangial activation and hypertrophy. In an in vivo model of DN in Wistar rats, both treatments decreased mesangial cell activation and expansion. In conclusion, tamsulosin and pioglitazone exert anti-fibrogenic and anti-inflammatory effects in MCs exposed to HG, thereby limiting mesangial activation and expansion.

Acanthamoeba griffini is known to cause amoebic keratitis (AK); its main causes are inadequate hygiene when contact lenses are handled and/or its prolonged use at night, as well as the use of contact lenses during underwater activities. The most used treatment for AK is the combination of propamidine isethionate combined with polyhexamethylene biguanide, which disrupts the cytoplasmic membrane, and damages cellular components and respiratory enzymes. We proposed an immunoconjugate treatment obtained from Acanthamoeba immunized rabbit serum combined with propamidine isethionate; the corneas of hamsters inoculated with A. griffini (MYP2004) were treated with the combined, at 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Propamidine isethionate is frequently used for AK treatment, in vivo study we are found IL-1β and IL-10 expression and caspase 3 activity is significantly increased with respect to the group that was inoculated with the amoeba without receiving any treatment, suggesting that it may be an effect of the toxicity of this drug on the corneal tissue. Application of the immunoconjugate showed enhanced amoebicidal and anti-inflammatory activities, with comparison to propamidine isethionate only. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the immunoconjugate of propamidine isethionate and polyclonal antibodies as a treatment of AK in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).