Analysis of expression of TNF-alpha and TGF-beta3 in intrinsic ureteropelvic junction obstruction

Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction is of critical importance to understand the histopathology of UPJ obstruction in terms of therapy planning and follow-up. For this purpose, our study was conducted with TNF-α and TGF-β markers to investigate possible underlying problems in intrinsic UPJ obstruction.

Of the patients who had undergone surgery in our clinic, 36 UPJ segments of patients who had undergone dismembered pyeloplasty surgery due to UPJ obstruction and 14 UPJ segments of the patients who had undergone nephrectomy were collected to form 2 groups. All histological sections were examined by applying immunohistochemical transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) monoclonal antibody dyes.

The mean staining values for TNF-α in mucosal tissue and mucosa were 0.53±0.84 and 0.58±0.84, respectively in the obstruction group, whereas the values observed in the control group were 0.86±0.36 and 0.93±0.47, respectively. While the mean staining values in the obstruction group in mucosal tissue and mucosa for TGF-β3 were 1.75±0.73 and 2.17±0.77, respectively, the values established in the control group were 1.14±0.66 and 1.43±0.93, respectively. The difference between the obstruction and control groups were statistically significant for both values (p<0.05).

Only a limited number of studies have been carried out on this particular issue. Data from the present study indicate that TGF-β3 and TNF-α may play a role in the histopathogenesis of UPJ obstruction (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 18).