RENAL GENE
EXPRESSION OF RENIN AND TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA 1(TGF-b1) IN CHILDREN WITH GLOMERULONEPHRITIS
Ciechanowicz A, 1Brodkiewicz A,
Adler G, 1 Kurzawska O, 2Juszkiewicz P, 3Krygier-Stojałowska
A, 2Fydryk J
Ist
Department of Paediatrics, Clinical Biochemistry Department1 and Department
of Biochemistry and Chemistry2, Pomeranian Medical University, Poland
Clinical
Biochemistry Department, Ist Department of Paediatrics1, Department of
Paediatrics and Oncologic Surgery3; Department of General
Pathology3, Pomeranian Medical
University, Poland
Increase
of renal expression of TGF-ß1 gene (transforming growth factor ß1 gene)
caused by activation of the local renin-angiotensin system plays an
important role in the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis (GN). The aim of
the present study was to measure the expression of renin and TGF- ß1 genes
(own modification of the RT-PCR method) in the isolated renal glomeruli or
in the homogenates of renal biopsy specimens in children with various types
of glomerulonephritis. The study enrolled 13 children with
glomerulonephritis and 3 boys with Wilms tumour (control group). The
expression of the studied genes was presented using arbitrary units defined
as multiplicity of the GAPDH gene. No significant difference was found in
expression of mRNA renin in the biopsy specimens of the kidney between GN
group and control group.
Expression of the TGF- ß1 gene was found in biopsy specimens in all
patients from the control group, and only in one GN child, the sole one who
was not treated with ACE inhibitors. No transcripts of the studied genes
were found in all RNA samples obtained from the renal glomeruli using the
microdissection method. The
RT-PCR method applied in the present study allows evaluation of renal
expression of renin and TGF- ß1 genes. The authors would like to point out
that storage of biopsy specimens at ¨C800C would not prevent the
total degradation of RNA during microdissection.