Apoptosis of renal tubular cells in congenital hydronephrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess apoptosis in congenital hydronephrosis and discuss its clinical significance.


METHODS
Apoptosis was detected in 15 kidneys from children with congenital hydronephrosis (5 mild hydronephrosis, 5 moderate hydronephrosis and 5 severe hydronephrosis) using the electronmicroscope, in situ gap labeling of fragmented nuclear DNA and DNA fragmentation analysis.


RESULTS
Apoptosis was seen in kidneys from children with congenital hydronephrosis. Margination of nuclear chromatin was identified and rounded apoptotic bodies were seen. The mean apoptotic index was 0.0941 +/- 0.017 in severe hydronephrosis, 0.0325 +/- 0.0169 in moderate hydronephrosis, and 0.0021 +/- 0.0031 in mild hydronephrosis. There was a significant difference between severe and moderate hydronephrosis (P = 0.0005), as well as between moderate and mild hydronephrosis (P = 0.0154). Moreover, with an increasing degree of hydronephrosis, the number of apoptotic cells also increased. Five kidneys with severe hydronephrosis and one kidney with moderate hydronephrosis showed typical apoptotic bands.


CONCLUSIONS
Apoptosis might participate in damaging kidneys in children with congenital hydronephrosis.
Yang
Y
Y
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Major Laboratory of Health Ministry for Congenital Malformation, Second Clinical Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110003, China. jjzhang@mail.sy.ln.cn
Ji
S
S
Wang
C
C
Hou
Y
Y
D017209:Apoptosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006869:Hydronephrosis / Q000151:congenital* / Q000473:pathology*; D007223:Infant; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor