RESUMO
AIM: To study the expression of lymphotactin in normal kidney and renal tuberculosis and the arrangement of lymphotactin and infiltrating CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells in renal tuberculosis. METHODS: HLptn cDNA of tissues from six cases with normal kidneys and ten cases with tuberculous kidneys was amplified by RT-PCR. The RT-PCR products were separated with 2% of gel. The cDNA was cloned to vector pGM-T Easy and was completely sequenced. The immunohistochemical staining method was used to examine the expression of lymphotactin in normal kidneys and tuberculous kidneys and the expression of CD4 and CD8 in tuberculous kidneys. RESULTS: The sequence of cloned hLptn cDNA was confirmed and it was identical with the sequence of NO.U23772 published in GenBank. Both normal kidneys and tuberculous kidneys expressed hLptn mRNA. HLptn was detected not only in the cells of normal renal glomerulus and renal tubule but also in the cells of remaining renal glomerulus and renal tubule of tuberculous kidneys. The cells expressing surface antigens CD4 and CD8 scattered in granulomas. CONCLUSION: The constructive expression of hLptn is in the cells of renal glomerulus and renal tubule of normal kidney and tuberculous kidney. The accumulation of CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells in granulomas may not depend on hLptn.