RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Relationship of Intrarenal Gene Expression and the Histological Class of Lupus Nephritis -- A Study on Repeat Renal Biopsy
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.120177
DO 10.3899/jrheum.120177
A1 Jianxin Lu
A1 Cheuk-Chun Szeto
A1 Lai-Shan Tam
A1 Fernand Mac-Moune  Lai
A1 Edmund Kwok-Ming  Li
A1 Kai-Ming Chow
A1 Philip Kam-Tao  Li
A1 Bonnie Ching-Ha  Kwan
YR 2012
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2012/08/13/jrheum.120177.abstract
AB Objective To study the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK)/Fn14 and the interferon-inducible protein (IP-10)/CXCR3 axis in lupus nephritis (LN). Methods We studied 113 patients with LN who had had repeat renal biopsies. Glomerular and tubulointerstitial messenger RNA expression of TWEAK, Fn14, IP-10, and CXCR3 were quantified. Results Glomerular Fn14 expression decreased when changed from proliferative or mixed nephritis to membranous nephropathy (p = 0.016), and increased when changed from membranous to proliferative or mixed nephritis (p = 0.0006). On the other hand, tubulointerstitial TWEAK expression decreased when changed from proliferative or mixed nephritis to membranous nephropathy (p = 0.004), and increased when changed from membranous nephropathy to proliferative nephritis (p = 0.010). Tubulointerstitial IP-10 expression decreased when changed from proliferative or mixed nephritis to membranous nephropathy (p < 0.0001). Histological activity index correlated significantly with the glomerular expression of Fn14 (r = 0.421, p < 0.0001) and tubulointerstitial expression of TWEAK (r = 0.413, p < 0.0001) and IP-10 (r = 0.472, p < 0.0001). Conclusion Glomerular Fn14 and tubulointerstitial TWEAK and IP-10 expression appeared to have consistent changes in relation to the histological class of LN and correlated with the histological activity index. Our findings suggest a specific role of these genes in the pathogenesis of LN.