Role of mesangial cells and podocyte axis in the renal tubulointerstitial lesions of IgA nephropathy / 临床与实验病理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose To investigate the role of mesangial cells and podocyte axis in the renal tubulointerstitial lesion in IgA nephropathy. Method Forty cases of IgA nephropathy diag-nosed by renal biopsy were analyzed. The expression of WT-1, a specific marker of podocyte surface, TNF-a and IL-6 in renal tissue was observed by immunohistochemistry, and the activity of TNF-a and IL-6 in urine was detected by enzyme-linked immu-nosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The glomerular mesangial proliferation score was negatively correlated with the expression of WT-1 in IgA nephropathy (r =-0.763, P＜ 0.05), and positively correlated with the expression of renal tissue TNF-a and IL-6, urine TNF-a and IL-6 activity levels in IgA nephropathy (r =0.674, r=0.853, r =0.819, r=0.763, all P＜0.05). With the aggravation of renal tubulointerstitial lesions in IgA nephropathy, the expression of WT-1 decreased gradually, while the expression of TNF-a and IL-6 in renal tissue increased gradually, and the activity of TNF-a and IL-6 in urine increased gradually (P＜ 0.05). The expression of WT-1 was negatively correlated with renal tissue IL-6 expression, TNF-α expression, urine IL-6 activity level, and urine TNF-a activity level (r =-0.603, r =-0.564, r =-0.563, r =-0.544, all P＜0.05), and it was positively correlated with the urine osmotic pressure (r = 0.821, P＜ 0.05 ) and positively correlated with the degree of renal tubular interstitial damage (r = 0.793, P＜0.01). Conclusion The cytokines produced by mesangial cell proliferation of IgA nephropathy play a role in podocyte and in-duce podocyte apoptosis and aggravate tubulointerstitial injury.