High glucose-induced transforming growth factor [beta]1 regulates mesangial production of heparan sulfate proteoglycan. Kolm, Verena, Ulrich Sauer, Bernhard Olgem[diaeresis]oller, and Erwin D. Schleicher. Institute for Diabetes Research, Department of Biochemistry, Academic Hospital of the University of Munich, 80804 M[umlaut]unchen, Germany
APStracts 2:0208F, 1995.
Previous investigations have demonstrated that growing mesangial cells in high glucose concentration stimulate extracellular ma-trix synthesis and also increase the expression of transforming growth factor [beta] (TGF-[beta]). We examined the effects of hyperglycemia on mesangial proliferation and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) and fibronectin production. Prolonged exposure of mesangial cells to increasing glucose concentration resulted in dose-dependent effects on growth inhibition and stimulation of matrix production. Treatment of mesangial cells with high glucose conditioned media or with TGF -[beta]1 mimicked the effects of high glucose incubation. Furthermore, TGF-[beta]1 caused a dose-dependent increase in HSPG mRNA levels. The high glucose effects on mesangial cells were preceded by an increase in total TGF-[beta]1 protein. Presence of TGF-[beta]1 anti-sense oligonucleotide attenuated the glucose-mediated effects on mesangial proliferation and matrix production. The data show that even moderately elevated glucose concentrations appear to affect the mesangial cells. The results indicate that i) TGF-[beta]1 protein production is necessary to obtain the high glucose-induced effects ii) TGF-[beta]1 stimulates mesangial HSPG expression and production. Since these effects may be attenuated by oligonucleotides anti-sense to TGF-[beta]1 the results suggest a possible way for effective intervention in TGF-[beta] mediated glomerulosclerosis.

Received 22 May 1995; accepted in final form 27 November 1995.
APS Manuscript Number F162-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 8 December 95