Expression of response gene to complement-32 in renal tissue of children with immunoglobulin A nephropathy

This study aimed to investigate the expression and significance of response gene to complement-32 (RGC-32) in renal tissue of children with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN).

Forty-five patients diagnosed as having IgAN by renal biopsy were enrolled. The expression of RGC-32, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor-β(1) (TGF-β(1)) was observed by immunohistostaining. The relationshis between the expression of RGC-32, α-SMA, TGF-β1, degree of renal pathological lesions in IgAN and clinical index were assessed by Spearman correlation.

Immunohistostaining analysis showed that RGC-32 protein was present in epithelial cells of renal tubules in normal and IgAN renal tissues. With more severe renal pathological lesions, the expression of RGC-32 in IgAN was increased. The expression of RGC-32 was positively correlated with that of α-SMA, TGF-β(1) and the degree of renal pathological lesions in children with IgAN (p < 0.05), but had no relationship with serum creatinine, urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase/creatinine, urinary microalbuminuria/creatinine, urinary microimmunoglobulin/creatinine or urinary α(1)-microglobulin/creatinine ratio (p > 0.05).

Expression of RGC-32 can reflect the degree of renal pathological lesions in IgAN. RGC-32 may participate in the renal tubulointerstitial lesions in children with IgAN, especially in epithelial -mesenchymal transition induced by TGF-β(1).