Transforming growth factor beta 1 in children with systemic lupus erythematosus: a possible relation with clinical presentation of lupus nephritis

Abstract

Plasma and urinary (latent and active) TGF-beta1 levels were assessed in 32 children with active lupus and compared to 15 healthy controls of matched age and sex. Plasma latent and active TGF-beta1 levels in children with active disease were significantly lower than controls (P = 0.004 and P < 0.001 respectively). Plasma active TGF-beta1 correlated negatively with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (r = -0.38, P = 0.03). On the contrary, urinary latent and active TGF-beta1 levels in children with active disease were significantly higher than controls (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003 respectively). Urinary active TGF-beta1 levels correlated positively with Anti-ds DNA titre (r = 0.42, P = 0.015) and negatively with serum C3 levels (r = -0.48, P = 0.005). Patients with symptomatic nephritis had significantly elevated urinary active TGF-beta1 levels in comparison to those with silent nephritis (P = 0.008). From this data we conclude that lowered plasma TGF-beta1 levels may be a feature of systemic immune dysfunction in children with active lupus while increased renal production of active TGF-beta1 seems to have a role in the clinical presentation of lupus nephritis.

Serum levels of the regulatory cytokines transforming growth factor-β and interleukin-10 are reduced in patients with discoid lupus erythematosus

“…6,7 TGF-b is a pleiotropic cytokine that has never been studied in DLE. In patients with SLE and in agreement with our findings, serum levels of TGF-b are reduced, 8 peripheral leukocytes show reduced TGF-b production 9 and genes implicated in TGF-b signalling are downregulated. 10 Furthermore, overwhelming evidence supports an immune regulatory role of TGF-b against autoimmunity.…”

miR-150 Promotes Renal Fibrosis in Lupus Nephritis by Downregulating SOCS1

“…7,25,39 In a murine model of LN, 40 enhanced TGF-b production in kidneys induced local fibrogenesis and ultimately ESRD. In LN patients, serum TGF-b1 is decreased, whereas urinary TGFb1 [41][42][43] and renal TGF-b1 28,29 are significantly increased. In this study, the physiologic relevance of miR-150 in promoting fibrosis was evaluated both in vitro and on LN biopsies.…”

The relationship between transforming growth factor-β1, vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide and Hashimoto's thyroiditis

“…Also, TGF-β exerts potent immunosuppressive effects by inhibiting the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1 by immune cells and blocking the induction of adhesion molecules such as ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 by cytokines [25,26]. Although the immunosuppressive effects of TGF-β1 have been well established, few studies have investigated serum/plasma TGF-β1 levels in autoimmune conditions [10][11][12]. Our results are in accordance with these of previous study showing decreased plasma TGF-β1 levels in HT [10].…”

“…Association between TGF-β and the development of autoimmunity [8], and preventive effects of TGF-β on autoimmunity [9] have been established in experimental studies. However, there is a few clinical studies investigating serum TGF-β1 levels in autoimmune disease [10][11][12].…”