ABSTRACT
Polymorphonuclear leucocyte neutrophils [PMN] migrate to infected mucosal sites to protect the injured tissue from invading pathogens. Their interaction with the epithelial barrier is controlled by chemokines. Also, chemokines are involved in the pathogenesis of renal disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]. Therefore, the present study examined the immunocytochemical localization of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-2 [CINC-2] and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 [MIP-2] in PMN of patients with urinary tract disease; SLE, urinary tract infection [UTI], renal transplanted recipients and bladder cancer patients in comparison with normal and patients without renal disease; hepatitis C virus [HCV] and diabetes mellitus [DM]. The obtained results showed that CINC-2 and MIP-2 immunoreactivity was weak in PMN from normal and patients without urinary tract disease. However, patients with SLE, UTI and bladder cancer exhibited an upregulation in CINC-2 or MIP-2 as reflected by strong immunoreactivity and significant increase in number of positive PMN. In contrast, CINC-2 and MIP-2 immunoreactivity and number of positive PMN was slightly increased after kidney transplantation especially in case of normal graft function. However during episodes of rejection, the immunoreactivity of CINC-2 and MIP-2 as well as number of positive PMN was augmented. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between the CINC-2 and MIP-2 immunoreactivity of PMN in all groups. Taken together, the upregulation of CINC-2 and MIP-2 in patients with urinary tract disease suggest that the defect in urinary tract function leads to accumulation of CINC-2 and MIP-2 as a defect in their clearance. Thus, CINC-2 and MIP-2 can be used as an additional marker for renal rejection