title: Increased levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 in essential hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional cytokine that has been linked to vascular remodeling processes, myocardial hypertrophy, and renal fibrosis. Recently a correlation between serum levels of TGF-beta1 and blood pressure (BP) levels in patients with end-stage renal disease was shown. In addition, it is not clear whether TGF-beta1 is a causative factor in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension and associated with hypertensive target organ damage (TOD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a TGF-beta1-specific sandwich ELISA, we compared plasma levels of active and total TGF-beta1 of 30 normotensive persons and 85 patients with essential hypertension with and without TOD, as measured by microalbuminuria or left ventricular hypertrophy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Active and total TGF-beta1 levels were significantly higher in plasma of patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive controls (P < .05 and P < .01, respectively). However, neither active nor total TGF-beta1 correlated with systolic or diastolic BP (R2 < 0.14 for all parameters). Levels of active and total TGF-beta1 were significantly higher in hypertensive patients with than without TOD (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active and latent TGF-beta1 levels are markedly increased in plasma of hypertensive patients. We assume that TGF-beta1 contributes substantially to the development of TOD in essential hypertension, independent of BP levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ludwig Boltzmann Vienna General Hospital, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Derhaschnig
authors.forename: Medhat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shehata
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Herkner
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bur
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woisetschläger
authors.forename: Anton N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Laggner
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hirschl
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1