Ranieri E, Gesualdo L, Grandaliano G, Montinaro V, Maiorano E, Pannarale G, Schena FP
alpha-smooth muscle actin and PDGF-beta receptor expression in human IgA nephropathy: potential markers of tubulo-interstitial cell activation
33rd Congress of the Eur Dial Transplant Assoc
Nephrol Dial Transplant (Jun) 11:A25b 1996

Tubulointerstitial damage seems to be a better indicator of renal function outcome than the extent of glomerular sclerosis. Myofibroblast-like cells are candidate to an important role of the pathogenesis in renal interstitial fibrosis.

Ranieri et al. investigated the role played by myofibroblast-like cells in IgAN patients, correlating tubulointerstitial expression of PDGF-bR and a-SMA with histopathologic and clinical features of this disease. PDGF-bR and a-SMA expression were increased in areas of interstitial fibrosis with a prominent peritubular and periglomerular distribution in patients with moderate to severe histologic lesions. The a-SMA expression correlated with the tubulointersttial damage and renal function at the time of biopsy. On the basis of these results, the authors support the hypothesis that the interstitial overexpression of PDGF-bR in areas of tubulo-interstitial injury may play a role in mediating fibroblast activation and that the a-SMA staining of renal biopsies may be considered a useful prognostic marker of renal progression toward sclerosis. (Loreto Gesualdo, M.D., University of Bari, Italy)

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33rd Congress of the Eur Dial Transplant Assoc
Proteinuria/Hematuria : Mechanisms of renal injury
Proteinuria/Hematuria : IgA Nephropathy