Renal expression of transforming growth factor-beta inducible gene-h3 (beta ig-h3) in normal and diabetic rats.
BACKGROUND
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of kidney diseases characterized by glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. TGF-beta is secreted in a latent form requiring extracellular modification to become biologically active. TGF-beta inducible gene-h3 (beta ig-h3) is a recently identified TGF-beta-induced gene product. The present study sought to examine beta ig-h3 expression in normal and diabetic rats.


METHODS
Beta ig-h3, TGF-beta1 and alpha1 (IV) collagen gene expression were assessed by Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization in 20 Sprague Dawley rats, randomly assigned to receive streptozotocin (diabetic, N = 11) or citrate buffer alone (control, N = 9) and sacrificed eight months later. The effect of exogenous TGF-beta1 on beta ig-h3 expression was also assessed in cultured proximal tubular cells.


RESULTS
In situ hybridization localized beta ig-h3 gene expression to the juxtaglomerular apparatus and the pars recta (S3 segment) of proximal tubules in both control and diabetic animals. Kidney TGF-beta 1, beta ig-h3 and alpha1 (IV) collagen mRNA from diabetic rats were increased two- to threefold compared with controls (P < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between TGF-beta1 and beta ig-h3 gene expression in kidneys from diabetic rats (r = 0.73, P = 0.01). In addition, beta ig-h3 mRNA increased in response to exogenous TGF-beta1 in a dose-dependent fashion in cultured proximal tubular cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support the hypothesis that biologically active TGF-beta plays a pathogenetic role in diabetic kidney disease and suggest that beta ig-h3 may be a useful index of TGF-beta1 bioactivity in the kidney.
University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, Victoria, Australia. gilbert@austin.unimelb.edu.au
R E
RE
Gilbert
J L
JL
Wilkinson-Berka
D W
DW
Johnson
A
A
Cox
T
T
Soulis
L L
LL
Wu
D J
DJ
Kelly
G
G
Jerums
C A
CA
Pollock
M E
ME
Cooper
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D015870:Gene Expression; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D000099222:betaIG-H3 Protein
D003094:Collagen; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D000099222:betaIG-H3 Protein