ABSTRACT
Hepatocyte growth factor [HGF] acts as an activator of mitogenesis, motogenesis, and morphogenesis, and as a potent survival factor. It is one of the cytokines that has proven to be involved in the regeneration of renal tubule cells following injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of renal transplantation on serum hepatocyte growth factor levels in hemodialysis patients with HCV infection.74 subjects with HCV infection were enrolled in the study, they were further subdivided into three groups: Control group [n=10]; hemodialysis group [HD] [n= 30] and renal transplant recipient group [n=34]. Serum hepatocyte growth factor [HGF] determination was performed using quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Our study revealed that serum levels of HGF, in HD patients showed a significant increase as compared to control [p<0.001] and renal transplant groups [p<0.001]. In HD patients serum HGF levels showed a positive correlation with both serum creatinine levels [r =0.874, p< 0.001] and urea levels [T= 0.559, p< 0.001] but did not correlate with ALT levels or duration of HD. Serum HGF values in renal transplant recipients showed no statistically significant changes as compared to controls and did not correlate with either creatinine, urea, ALT and cyclosporine blood levels. We concluded that serum HGF was elevated in HD patients, which may be attributed to the increased production of HGF in response to the chronic renal injury, the effect of heparin, or reduced removal of serum HGF in CRF patients. Serum levels of HGF in renal transplant recipients showed no statistically significant changes as compared to controls and no correlation with cyclosporine blood levels as patients had good allograft function and cyclosporine blood levels were properly monitored. Although serum HGF values in HD patients are elevated, levels return back to normal in renal transplant recipients with good allograft function