Expression of TβRⅡRH mRNA in PBMCs of patients with lupus nephritis / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the association of TGF-β receptor typeⅡ(TβRⅡ)mRNA with lupus nephritis (LN) and disease activity by testing its expression levelin peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).Methotis Forty-four patients with LN were included in this study.They were all had active LN.Twepty-eight LN patients were taking glueocorticoids and/or immunosuppressive agents and sixteen had never taken steroids or immunosuppressive agents.The expression levels of T13R H mRNA were semi-quantitativelydetermined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Resuits The expression levels of TβRⅡ mRNA in PBMCs from LN patients(1.7±1.0)were lower than those of non-lupus nephritis(4.0±3.1) and healthy subiects(4.1±2.5),(P<0.01).The difference of the expression levels between patients who took and had never taken glucocorticoids and/or immunosuppressive drugs was significantly statistically(P<0.05).The expression levels of TβRⅡ mRNA in PBMCs of patients with LN were correlated significantly with the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI)scores(r-0.309.P<0.05),titers of anti-dsDNA antibody(r=-0.401,P<0.01)and serum complement C3 level(r=0.621,P<0.01).Conclusion This study suggests that TβRⅡ may be involved in the development of LN,and the TβRⅡ mRNA expression levels in PBMCs from patients with SLE are significantly correlated with LN activity.Glucocortieoids or immunosuppressive drugs can increase the expression levels of TβRⅡ mRNA and ameliorate renal damage.