Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor in Mesangial IgA Glomerulonephntis with Macroscopic Hematuria in Children

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)--γ levels were measured in the sera obtained from 29 patients with IgA glomerulonephntis (IgA GN), 8 patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) and 12 patients with upper respiratory tract infection (URI) without renal diseases in children. The serum TNF-α level of lgA GN was 123.0 ± 175.4 pg/ml, MCNS was 4.9 ± 4.0 pg/ml and URI was 10.5 ± 4.5 pg/ml respectively. The serum TNF-α level of IgA GN was significantly higher than those of MCNS and URI. The serum TNF-α level of URI was on the high trend compared with that of MCNS, but was not statistically significant. Although the TNF-α level was related to mesangial cell proliferation in patients with IgA GN, it was unrelated to the grade of mesangial matrix expansion and magnitude of proteinuria. In 17 patients with IgA GN having macroscopic hematuria, the serum TNF-α level was 190.5 ± 201.6 pg/ml, and in other IgA GN patients with microscopic hematuria it was 37.4 ± 75.7 pg/ml. The serum TNF-α level of IgA GN with macroscopic hematuria was significantly higher than that with microscopic hematuria. In 6 patients with IgA GN with macroscopic hematuria, the serum TNF-α level was significantly decreased after macroscopic hematuria disappeared. The mean serum IFN-γ level of IgA GN was 0.3 ± 0.6 IU/ml, and MCNS was not detectable. Although the serum IFN-γ level was related to mesangial cell proliferation in patients with IgA GN, it was unrelated to magnitude of proteinuria, the grade of mesangial matrix expansion and also the presence or absence of macroscopic hematuria. We suggest that macroscopic hematuria of IgA GN was closely related to the serum TNF-α level.

Tumor necrosis factor-α production from mononuclear cells in nephrotic syndrome

“…Inaba et al [24] found a positive correlation between TNF-α levels and the degree of mesangial proliferation in IgA nephropathy. Silver et al [25] proved that TNF-α has a proliferative effect together with cytoskeletal rearrangement of mesangial cells.…”