title: Impact of gene polymorphisms of interleukin-18, transforming growth factor-β, and vascular endothelial growth factor on development of IgA nephropathy and thin glomerular basement membrane disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the effects of gene polymorphisms on the development of IgA nephropathy and thin glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease by analyzing polymorphisms in the interleukin (IL)-18, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) genes in Korean patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 146 normal individuals and 69 biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy and 44 thin GBM disease patients. The gene polymorphisms -607 A/C and -137 G/C in IL-18, -509C/T and T869C in TGF-β, and -2578C/A and 405C/G in VEGF were investigated in DNA extracted from peripheral blood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequencies of the IL-18 -607CC genotype (43.5% vs. 21.2%, P=0.002, P corrected=0.012) and the VEGF 405 GG genotype (37.7% vs. 21.2%, P=0.002, P corrected=0.012) were significantly increased in the IgA nephropathy group compared with the control group, whereas no significant differences in genotype frequency were observed between the thin GBM disease and control groups. However, there were no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies between the IgA nephropathy and thin GBM disease groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study did not show any statistically significant differences of six selected gene polymorphisms of the IL-18, TGF-β, and VEGF genes between IgA nephropathy and thin GBM disease. Additional extensive studies are required to clarify the potential role of gene polymorphism to discriminate IgA nephropathy and thin GBM disease without renal biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jang-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Chung-Hoon
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Lim
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for End Stage Renal Disease in Korea, Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Chan-Duck
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Hematuria; IgA glomerulonephritis; Interleukin-18; Single nucleotide polymorphism; Transforming growth factor-β1; Vascular endothelial growth factor