Increased transforming growth factor-[beta]1 expression in regenerating rat renal tubules following ischemic injury. Basile, David P., Jason M. Rovak, Daniel R. Martin, and Marc R. Hammerman. George M. O'Brien Kidney and Urological Disease Center, Renal Division, Departments of Medicine and Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO 63110
APStracts 2:0193F, 1995.
To gain insight into the role that transforming growth factor-[beta]1 (TGF-[beta]1) plays in the regeneration of kidneys following acute renal failure, we characterized the expression of TGF-[beta]1 mRNA and the expression of active and latent TGF-[beta] peptide at various times during recovery from acute ischemic injury in rat. Levels of whole kidney TGF-[beta]1 mRNA were elevated significantly at 12 hours post-injury (1.5 fold vs. sham-operated controls) and by 24 hours post-injury were elevated by 3.6 fold. Levels remained elevated for 14 days following ischemia, but were no longer elevated at 28 days post-injury. In situ hybridization demonstrated that the elevated expression of TGF-[beta]1 was localized predominantly to cells in the regenerating tubules in the outer medulla. When examined at 14 days post-ischemia, levels of TGF-[beta]1 mRNA were elevated in the outer medulla only in tubules which appeared incompletely regenerated. Immunohistochemical staining localized active TGF-[beta] to the lumen of proximal tubules in control animals and in desquamated and regenerating tubular epithelial cells following ischemia. TGF-[beta]1 latency-associated peptide (LAP) was present intracellularly in proximal tubules of sham-operated rats and reduced following ischemia. We hypothesize that endogenous renal TGF-[beta] serves to promote tissue regeneration following acute injury via an autocrine or paracrine mechanism.

Received 8 August 1995; accepted in final form 23 October 1995.
APS Manuscript Number F264-5.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Renal Fluid Electrolyte
Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 6 November 95