title: Interleukin 18 (IL-18) upregulation in acute rejection of kidney allograft.
abstract: Interleukin 18 (IL-18) is a potent proinflammatory cytokine involved in the host defence by upregulating both innate and acquired immune responses and may be of particular importance also in mechanisms of kidney allograft rejection. Immunohistochemical staining of protocol biopsies showed constitutive IL-18 expression in the epithelium of distal tubules with the induction of immunoreactivity in acute rejection patients where also proximal tubules, infiltrating leukocytes, and endothelium were strongly positive. Furthermore, serum levels of IL-18 were significantly elevated in patients with acute rejection of kidney allograft (1247+/-389 pg/l) as compared to patients with uncomplicated outcome of kidney transplantation (444+/-164 pg/l) and subjects with acute tubulointerstitial nephropathy (385+/-155 pg/l, p<0.0001 for both comparisons). Tissue culture model of renal epithelial cells expressed IL-18 mRNA constitutively and released mature IL-18 in response to TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. We assume that upregulation of epithelial IL-18 plays an important role in immune and immunopathological reactions in renal parenchyma and contributes to rejection mechanisms of kidney allograft.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Videnska 1958/9, Prague 4, 14021 Czech Republic. ilja.striz@ikem.cz
authors.forename: Ilja
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Striz
authors.forename: Eliska
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krasna
authors.forename: Krasna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eliska
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Honsova
authors.forename: Honsova
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eva
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lacha
authors.forename: Lacha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiri
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrickova
authors.forename: Petrickova
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katerina
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaresova
authors.forename: Jaresova
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcela
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lodererova
authors.forename: Lodererova
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alena
authors.forename: Radka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bohmova
authors.forename: Bohmova
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Radka
authors.forename: Sarka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valhova
authors.forename: Valhova
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sarka
authors.forename: Antonij
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slavcev
authors.forename: Slavcev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antonij
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vitko
authors.forename: Vitko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefan
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D012313:RNA; D007371:Interferon-gamma