title: TLR9 and BAFF: their expression in patients with IgA nephropathy.
abstract: Since it was first described in 1968, immunoglobulin (Ig)A nephropathy (IgAN) has become the most commonly diagnosed form of primary glomerular disease worldwide. A number of reports have shown that toll‑like receptor 9 (TLR9) and B‑cell activating factor (BAFF) may be associated with IgAN; however, sufficient evidence has not yet to be delivered. In the present study, serum levels of BAFF as well as TLR9 mRNA and protein levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were assessed. Expression of TLR9 mRNA in PBMCs was examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the TLR9 protein was determined by western blot analysis. The levels of serum BAFF and IgA1 were determined by specific ELISA. Serum levels of BAFF and IgA1 as well as levels of TLR9 mRNA and protein in PMBCs were significantly higher in patients with IgAN compared with patients with minimal glomerular abnormalities (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively) and normal controls (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). A correlation and regression analysis was performed to determine the pathogenesis of IgAN. In patients with IgAN, serum levels of BAFF were positively correlated with IgA1 levels (rp, 0.515; P<0.01) and mesangial IgA deposition density (rp, 0.746; P<0.01). Expression levels of TLR9 protein in PBMCs of IgAN patients were positively correlated with levels of serum BAFF (rp, 0.444; P<0.05) and IgA1 (rp, 0.633; P<0.01). These results suggested that overexpression of TLR9 mRNA and protein in PBMCs and elevated levels of serum BAFF may be associated with overexpression of serum IgA1, and, furthermore, may have a role in the development of IgAN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yuyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fuyou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guochun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Renal Research Institute, Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Youming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005922:Glomerulonephritis, IGA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9