Urinary transforming growth factor-beta1 excretion in renal allograft recipients during the early post-transplantation period.
BACKGROUND
Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), the major fibrogenic growth factor, is implicated in the pathogenesis of renal scarring in experimental and clinical nephropathies as well as in chronic allograft nephropathy. In this study we examined the pattern of changes of TGF-beta1 excretion in the urine and the sites of TGF-beta1 expression in the kidney of transplanted patients during the early post-transplantation period.


METHODS
Eighteen renal allograft recipients were included in the study. In all patients urinary TGF-beta1 levels were determined by ELISA in sequential measurements during the first two postoperative months and compared to that of 14 healthy subjects. The renal expression of TGF-beta1 protein was studied in 4 patients that underwent a biopsy of the transplanted kidney at the same period. All patients were treated with prednisolone, cyclosporin, and mycophenolate mofetil.


RESULTS
Urinary TGF-beta1 levels were increased during the first postoperative days. Although they were gradually reduced during the first two post-operative months, they remained significantly higher compared to those of normal subjects (580 +/- 148 ng/24 h vs. 310 +/- 140 ng/ 24 h p < 0.01). The decline of urinary TGF-beta1 excretion followed that of serum creatinine. TGF-beta1 protein expression was identified within the cytoplasm of tubular epithelial cells of transplanted patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated urinary TGF-beta1 levels are observed during the early post-transplantation period in renal allograft recipients and are maintained high even after restoration of renal function to normal.
Goumenos
Dimitrios S
DS
Department of Internal Medicine-Nephrology, University Hospital, Patras, Greece. dgoumenos@med.upatras.gr
Tsakas
Sotiris
S
Karavias
Dionisios
D
Savidaki
Irini
I
Karatzas
Thoedoros
T
Vlachojannis
John G
JG
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D001706:Biopsy; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000652:urine*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D015415:Biomarkers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003404:Creatinine