title: Profile of human β-defensins 1,2 and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) in patients with chronic kidney disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to determine whether altered human β-defensin (HBD), pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α could increase the risk of developing and exacerbation of chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially for patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples were obtained from 338 CKD patients and 88 sex, age-matched healthy controls. The concentrations of HBD-1 were assayed using an RIA kit. Serum levels of HBD-2, IL-6 and TNF-α were assayed using an ELISA kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of HBD-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly higher in CKD patients compared to healthy controls (P<0.05). HBD-1 levels were inversely related to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which was the coefficient factor (β = -0.357, P = 0.035) explaining the variability in HBD-1 in CKD. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients at stage 3-5 had significantly higher serum HBD-1 levels than non DN patients (P=0.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data support the view that there is increased inflammation in CKD and DN. The inverse correlation between eGFR and serum HBD-1 which we observed is suggestive of a relationship between innate immunity and renal function and should be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology Department, Myoung-Ji Hospital, Seoul I.
authors.forename: Dong-Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hye Ryoun
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yo Seop
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; C106641:DEFB4A protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D023083:beta-Defensins