Evaluation of TGF-β1 and MCP-1 expression and tubulointerstitial fibrosis in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis and IgA nephropathy: A clinical correlation

OBJECTIVES: Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis and immunoglobulin A nephropathy are two diseases with similar clinical presentations but very different prognoses. Transforming growth factor β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 have been associated with the development of tissue fibrosis. We examined the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis and its relationship with Transforming growth factor β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in these patients. METHODS: Renal tissue samples were collected by renal biopsy from 50 children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis and 50 children with immunoglobulin A nephropathy. Hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome-stained tissues were examined using light microscopy. Tubulointerstitial fibrosis was graded using the method described by Bohle et al. (1). The immunohistochemical detection of Transforming growth factor β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression was correlated with the tubulointerstitial fibrosis grade. Clinical Trial registration number: ZJCH-2012-0105. RESULTS: Transforming growth factor β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in the renal tissues was significantly greater in the patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy than in the patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (both p<0.001). The immunoglobulin A nephropathy patients had a higher tubulointerstitial fibrosis grade than the Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis patients (p<0.001). The tubulointerstitial fibrosis grade was in accordance with the Transforming growth factor β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression levels in both diseases (both p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Transforming growth factor β1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression was associated with the development of immunoglobulin A nephropathy and Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis. Further studies are needed to better evaluate this association.