title: Mast cell infiltration is involved in renal interstitial fibrosis in a rat model of protein-overload nephropathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the relationship between mast cells (MCs) and the protein expression of stem cell factor (SCF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in the regions of renal interstitial fibrosis with protein-overload nephropathy, in order to provide a good animal model to study the mechanism of renal fibrosis induced by proteinuria.
  
  
  METHODS
  60 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a bovine serum albumin (BSA) group and a control group. The intensity of MCs infiltration was examined by toluidine blue and chymase and tryptase staining. The protein expression of SCF and TGF-β1 was respectively examined by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe proteinuria was induced in rats of the BSA group. Expression of SCF and TGF-β1 was detected in the tubular and the interstitial cells. The number of MCs positively correlated with the severity of interstitial lesions and the expression of SCF and TGF-β1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrated that in protein-overload nephropathy, MCs infiltrated into the kidney, and the expression of SCF and TGF-β1 gradually increased. They might play important roles in the development of renal interstitial fibrosis, but the underlying mechanism needs to be further studied.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Research Institute of Nephrology, Central South University, Key Laboratory of Nephrology and Blood Purification in Hunan, Changsha, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Letiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Fuyou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Youming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shaobin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Guanghui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wenling
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yuncheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine