title: Urinary transforming growth factor-beta 1 in various types of nephropathy.
abstract: Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a potent multifunctional polypeptide that is involved in normal renal function and in the development of glomerular sclerosis. It is also an important mediator of the immune and anti-inflammatory responses. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the measurement of urinary TGF-beta1 excretion in patients with different types of renal diseases and in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus represents a non-invasive tool to evaluate disease activity and to monitor response to therapy. We studied the urinary excretion of TGF-beta1 in 57 nephropathic patients divided in different groups according to the underlying disease: 15 had mesangial glomerulonephritis (IgAGN), 9 membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), 7 rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN), 8 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 9 interstitial nephritis (IN), 9 chronic renal failure (CRF). TGF-beta1 was also measured in 38 patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (12 with newly diagnosed diabetes, 26 long-standing diabetes) and 31 healthy controls. Total urinary TGF-beta1 concentration was assayed by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA), and expressed as a ratio to urinary creatinine concentration. The urinary TGF-beta1 levels were compared with the findings of biopsy and clinical parameters. Urinary TGF-beta1 excretion was significantly increased in all groups except MGN, IN and CRF. In non-diabetic patients, urinary TGF-beta1 levels correlated with crescent formation, floccular adhesion and mesangial proliferation, but not with the degree of tubulo-interstitial fibrosis. Urinary TGF-beta1 levels did not correlate with indices of renal function (serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), albumin excretion rate [AER]). Among diabetic patients, HbA(1C) significantly correlated with TGF-beta1 urinary excretion. Urinary TGF-beta1 levels may represent a valid indicator of acute glomerular flogosis associated with mesangial proliferation in glomerulonephrities. In newly diagnosed diabetic patients, hyperglycaemia seems to represent the principal factor leading to TGF-beta1 overproduction. Follow-up studies of urinary TGF-beta1 levels measured during optimal glycaemic control are necessary to clarify the relationship between hyperglycaemia and TGF-beta1 excretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological, Biochemical and Cellular Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. demuro@ssmain.uniss.it
authors.forename: Pierina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Muro
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faedda
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fresu
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masala
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cigni
authors.forename: Gordiano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Concas
authors.forename: Maria Graziella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Mela
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Satta
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carcassi
authors.forename: Giovanni Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Gian Mario
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cherchi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000652:urine*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1