title: P-Glycoprotein Activity in Steroid-Responsive vs. Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the peripheral blood nucleated cells (PBNCs) of children with nephrotic syndrome in relation to their clinical response to glucocorticoid treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six children with nephrotic syndrome (20 cases of steroid-responsive and 16 cases of steroid-resistant) were examined. All the participants were subjected to complete history taking, thorough clinical examination, laboratory investigations (24-h urinary protein, serum albumin, complete blood count with differential white blood cell count, serum cholesterol, serum urea, serum creatinine) and functional assay of P-gp using FACS Calibur flowcytometry. P-gp assay was done in both groups during remission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  P-gp activity was significantly higher in steroid-resistant than steroid-sensitive cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  P-gp can be used as a predictor of outcome, as a part of laboratory evaluation of the cases before starting steroid therapy, so as to determine whether to use alternative line of therapy or use one of the P-gp inhibitors with steroid therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia Universty, Shebin el Kom, 32511, Menoufia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hassan S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Badr
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia Universty, Shebin el Kom, 32511, Menoufia, Egypt. mahmodelhawy18@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mahmoud A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Hawy
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia Universty, Menoufia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Helwa
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / Q000378:metabolism*; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013256:Steroids
chemical_list: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D013256:Steroids
keywords: Nephrotic syndrome; P-gp; Steroid-resistant; Steroid-sensitive