[Urine excretion of a monocytic chemotaxic protein-1 and a transforming growth factor beta1 as an indicator of chronic glomerulonephritis progression].

Aim: To measure urine and renal tissue levels of profibrogenic mediators (monocytic chemotaxic protein-1-MCP-1 and transforming growth factor beta1 - TGF-b1) in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN); to specify significance of these mediators for assessment of inflammation and fibrosis in the kidney and as prognosis criteria. ELISA, immunohistochemical tests, morphometry were used to study urine excretion of MCP-1 and TGF-b1, expression of TGF-b1 in renal tissue, interstitial area, respectively, in 63 patients with active proteinuric CGN.

Results: Patients with active proteinuric forms of CGN have higher urine excretion of MCP-1 and TGF-b1 than healthy controls. Urine excretion of MCP-1 in patients with nephrotic syndrome was significantly higher than in patients with moderate urinary syndrome. The highest MCP-1 urine excretion was observed in patients with persistent renal failure. Urine excretion of TGF-b1 depended on the level of creatinemia being the highest in marked proteinuria and stable renal dysfunction. Intensive urine excretion of TGF-b1 occurred in CGN patients with expression of this cytokine in renal interstitium. This confirms its local-renal origin. A correlation was found between urine values of MCP-1, TGF-b1 and severity of tubulo-interstitial fibrosis (TIF). High informative value (sensitivity and specificity) of urine MCP-1 and TGF-b1 are for the first time shown as markers of interstitial fibrosis. They are also important for making prognosis of CGN.

Conclusion: It is shown that MCP-1 and TGF-b1 are essential for remodeling of tubulointerstitium. The urinary parameters mark TIF and can be used as criteria of activity and prognosis of CGN.