title: Transforming growth factor-β and the progression of renal disease.
abstract: Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a profibrotic cytokine found in chronic renal diseases, which initiates and modulates a variety of pathophysiological processes. It is synthesized by many renal cell types and exerts its biological functions through a variety of signalling pathways, including the Smad and MAPK pathways. In renal diseases, TGF-β is upregulated and induces renal cells to produce extracellular matrix proteins leading to glomerulosclerosis as well as tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Different types of renal cells undergo different pathophysiological changes induced by TGF-β, leading to apoptosis, hypertrophy and abnormalities of podocyte foot processes, which ultimately result in renal dysfunction. In this review, we describe the effects of TGF-β on different renal cell types and the means by which TGF-β participates in the pathomechanisms of glomerular and tubulointerstitial diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Ivonne
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Loeffler
authors.forename: Gunter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta
keywords: EMT; diabetic nephropathy; fibroblasts; progression of renal diseases; renal fibrosis