title: In situ glomerular expression of activated NF-kappaB in human lupus nephritis and other non-proliferative proteinuric glomerulopathy.
abstract: Nuclear Factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been suggested to play a role in the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying glomerular injury. We investigated the potential role of NF-kappaB activation in the pathogenesis of glomerular injury in 31 patients with class III-V lupus nephritis (LN), 14 patients with non-proliferative proteinuric glomerulopathy and six normal controls. The expression of NF-kappaB subunits p65 and p50, and the NF-kappaB regulated proinflammatory mediators tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) as well as CD68 and synaptopodin was examined by Southwestern histochemistry (SWH) or immunohistochemistry. In contrast to non-proliferative glomerulopathy and normal controls, NF-kappaB activation (both p65 and p50) was enhanced in glomerular endothelial, mesangial cells or infiltrating cells in class IV LN, along with upregulation of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and ICAM-1 expression. Glomerular endothelial and mesangial activation of NF-kappaB and mesangial ICAM-1 expression correlated with disease activity and the level of glomerular macrophage infiltration. Podocyte NF-kappaB overactivation (predominantly p65) paralleled podocyte expression of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in patients with LN and non-proliferative glomerulopathy. Podocyte staining scores of NF-kappaB and p65 were positively correlated with the severity of proteinuria in LN and non-proliferative glomerulopathy. These results suggest a pathogenic role for NF-kappaB in glomerular injury by multiple mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinniah
authors.forename: Stephen I-Hong
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052002:NF-kappa B p50 Subunit / Q000032:analysis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000032:analysis; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016328:NF-kappa B; D052002:NF-kappa B p50 Subunit; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1