Transforming growth factor beta (TGF ß) activity in urine of patients with glomerulonephritis

ABSTRACT

Several lines of experimental evidence have shown that transforming growth factor ß (TGF ß) may play a major role in glomerular diseases, mediating the inflammatory response through glomerulosis. In the present study we evaluated TGF ß activity in occasional urine samples from 7 normal individuals and from 15 patients (10 with focal glomerular sclerosis and 5 with membranous glomerulonephritis) using a CCL-64 mink lung cell growth inhibition assay. Urinary TGF ß activity (reported in relation to urine creatinine concentration, Ucr, mean +/- SD) was higher in patients with focal glomerular sclerosis (x/- 17.32 +/- 15.75 / 10 µg Ucr) and patients with membranous glomerulonephritis (x/- = 17.78 +/- 11.53 / 10 µg Ucr) than in normal individuals (x/- = 0.8 +/- 0.44 / 10 µg Ucr). We also observed that TGF ß activity in urine from patients with focal glomerular...