title: Plasma levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 in renal transplant recipients receiving different immunosuppressive regimens.
abstract: Experimental and clinical evidence support the role of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta(1)), a cytokine with complex immune and nonimmune effects, on the development of chronic renal allograft nephropathy (CAN). We investigated the effects of different immunosuppressive regimens on circulating TGF-beta(1) plasma levels in stable kidney transplant (KTx) recipients. Two hundred ninety-nine TGF-beta(1) plasma levels were measured in 125 kidney transplant (KTX) recipients exhibiting stable renal function, immunosuppressed with cyclosporine (CsA), tacrolimus (TAC), or sirolimus (SIR), and in 18 normal healthy volunteers (C). Activated immunoreactive TGF-beta(1) was detected in platelet-depleted plasma by an enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay. Multivariate analyses correlated immunosuppressive regimens with TGF-beta(1) levels. KTX recipients displayed significantly higher TGF-beta(1) levels compared to C (P =.0005). Patients receiving CsA had significantly higher TGF-beta(1) plasma levels compared to those receiving TAC or SIR (P =.0384). Multivariate analyses showed no correlation between TGF-beta(1) levels and immunosuppressive drug trough blood levels or doses, but only correlations with the main immunosuppressive drug. These data show that: (1) TGF-beta(1) production is activated in kidney transplant recipients; (2) CsA patients display significantly higher plasma TGF-beta(1) levels. Follow-up studies seek to assess the possible relationship with clinical events.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Organ Transplantation, Catholic University Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Citterio
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pozzetto
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tondolo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castagneto
mesh_terms: D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1