title: Interleukin-6 localization and the prognosis of IgA nephropathy.
abstract: Various cytokines and growth factors may be involved in IgA nephropathy. To clarify whether interleukin-6 was a prognostic factor for this disease, we investigated interleukin-6 positivity of renal biopsy specimens and its relationship with the prognosis. The subjects were 90 patients with IgA nephropathy (42 males and 48 females with a median age of 32.7 +/- 13.8 years). Renal biopsy specimens were stained for interleukin-6 using an enzyme-antibody method. Fifty-two of 90 patients showed glomerular positivity for interleukin-6. Among the patients positive for interleukin-6, 24-hour urinary protein excretion and serum creatinine levels were significantly higher at the time of biopsy than in the patients without interleukin-6 positivity, while creatinine clearance was significantly lower. In the interleukin-6-positive patients without steroid therapy, serum creatinine increased significantly after 1 year (Deltas-Cr; 1.04 +/- 0.45 mg/dl) and creatinine clearance decreased significantly (DeltaCcr; -11.7 +/- 3.2 ml/min) compared to the interleukin-6-negative patients without steroid therapy. Steroid therapy improved 24-hour urinary protein excretion, serum creatinine, and creatinine clearance in the interleukin-6-positive patients, while these parameters worsened without steroid therapy. On the other hand, the IL-6-negative patients showed no differences of clinical parameters irrespective of the presence or absence of steroid therapy. In conclusion, glomerular interleukin-6 positivity may be a prognostic factor and an indicator of the need for steroid therapy in IgA nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yorioka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katsutani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuratsune
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amimoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamakido
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003401:Creatine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013256:Steroids
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D013256:Steroids; D003401:Creatine