title: Elevated serum interleukin-7 level in idiopathic steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several cytokines have a pathological association with idiopathic steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (ISSNS) in inducing proteinuria or regulating T cells. Because interleukin (IL)-7 plays important roles in regulating T-cell proliferation and sustaining naïve or memory T cells, IL-7 is one of the candidate cytokines in the pathogenesis of ISSNS. Very little is known, however, about the association of IL-7 with ISSNS. To clarify the IL-7 dynamics in children with ISSNS, serum IL-7 level was investigated, from the nephrotic phase before steroid treatment (STx; group A1) to the remission phase with STx (group A2) and without STx (group A3).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen children with ISSNS were included in the present study. A total of 25 paired samples were analyzed for groups A1 and A2, and a total of 10 paired samples for groups A1, A2, and A3 due to recurrence. Two control groups (with normal urinalysis, group B; or with nephrotic syndrome other than ISSNS, group C), matched for age and gender, were also included. Serum cytokine level was measured on bead-based assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each serum IL-7 level in groups A1 and A3 was higher than each serum IL-7 level of groups C and B, respectively. The group A2 serum IL-7 level was higher than that of group A1. There was no statistical significance of serum IL-7 level between group A1 and group A3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum IL-7 level was elevated in children with ISSNS regardless of the status of the disease. This brings us one step closer to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ISSNS in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan. tkanai@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: Takane
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Odaka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
authors.forename: Mariko Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Momoi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007223:Infant; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D012074:Remission Induction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D015851:Interleukin-7