Increased levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 in essential hypertension.
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.
Derhaschnig
Ulla
U
Department of Emergency Medicine, Ludwig Boltzmann Vienna General Hospital, University of Vienna, Austria.
Shehata
Medhat
M
Herkner
Harald
H
Bur
Andreas
A
Woisetschläger
Christian
C
Laggner
Anton N
AN
Hirschl
Michael M
MM
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
C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1