The Effect of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha on Glomerular Epithelial Cells in Glomerular Permeability

Cho, Min-Hyun; Lee, Ji-Hye; Koo, Ja-Hoon; Ko, Cheol-Woo

J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol > Volume 8(1); 2004 > Article

J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol 2004;8(1): 1-9.

$TNF-{alpha}$가 토리 상피세포의 투과성에 미치는 영향

조민현, 이지혜, 구자훈, 고철우

¹경북대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실
²경북대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실
³경북대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실
⁴경북대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실

The Effect of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha on Glomerular Epithelial Cells in Glomerular Permeability

Min-Hyun Cho, Ji-Hye Lee, Ja-Hoon Koo, Cheol-Woo Ko

¹Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University, College of Medicine
²Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University, College of Medicine
³Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University, College of Medicine
⁴Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University, College of Medicine

ABSTRACT

Purpose : Minimal Change Disease (MCD) is the most common primary nephrotic syndrome in children. Some suggested that tumor necrosis $factor-{alpha}$ ($TNF-{alpha}$) are involved in the pathogenesis of MCD.
Methods : This study was done to see the changes of plasma and urinary $TNF-{alpha}$, and its effect on the determination of permeability of the glomerular basement membrane (BM) contributed by heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG). Study patients consisted of 19 biopsy-proven MCD children aged 2-15 years old. Both plasma and urinary $TNF-{alpha}$ were measured. Employing the Millicell system, $TNF-{alpha}$ was screened for the permeability factors. We examined whether $TNF-{alpha}$ regulated BM HSPG gene expression and HS synthesis in the glomerular epithelial cells (GECs).
Results : Urinary $TNF-{alpha}$ during relapse was significantly increased when compared with that of during remission or controls ($364.4{pm}51.2$ vs $155.3{pm}20.8,;36.0{pm}4.5$ ng/mg cr) (P<0.05). However, negative results were obtained in the permeability assay using the Millicell system. No difference was seen in the BM HSPG gene expression and HS synthesis in the GECs.
Conclusion : It seems that $TNF-{alpha}$ may not play a disease-specific role in the pathogenesis of MCD.

Key words: Glomerular epithelial cells | TNF-alpha | Minimal change nephrotic syndrome