Puromycin is an aminonucleoside antibiotic that blocks protein synthesis in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes by causing premature termination of nascent polypeptide chains. Puromycin aminonucleoside (PANS) is the aminonucleoside portion of puromycin. This analog cannot inhibit protein synthesis or induce apoptosis. Instead it is used to induce nephropathy in laboratory animal models to study focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, the induction of nephrosis, and the events leading to proteinuria. When administered to rats at 0.5-5 μM, PANS affects glomerular epithelial cell adhesion, reducing α3β1 integrin expression. PANS also has been shown to decrease nephrin and podocin expression.
