Association between transforming growth factor beta1 gene polymorphisms and IgA nephropathy.

Background: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) plays an important role in the modulation of cellular growth and differentiation in a wide variety of cell types and in the production/degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM). We investigated whether G-800A, C-509T and Leu10-->Pro polymorphisms in the TGF-beta1 gene could be involved in the development and progression of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).

Methods: DNA samples were obtained from 101 patients with biopsy proven IgA mesangial nephropathy and 118 healthy controls.

Long-term effects of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody treatment of cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis.

Background: Type II mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC) is a systemic vasculitis, associated in most cases with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and sustained by proliferation of oligoclonal cells. Systemic B-cell depletion and clinical remission can be achieved in non-Hodgkin lymphoma by a human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody that specifically reacts with the CD20 antigen (Rituximab). Similar effects could be expected in type II MC.

Nail fold videocapillaroscopy in mixed cryoglobulinaemia.

Background: Nail fold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) has been extensively used to examine morphological and functional changes of microcirculation in connective tissue diseases. The nutritional circulation that depends on tissue capillaries, can be expected to be significantly impacted in mixed cryoglobulinaemia (MC).

Methods: Using NVC, we evaluated 29 patients with MC (19 women), mean age 66 years (range 40-83).