URINARY TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR LEVELS IN PRIMARY GLOMERULOPATHIES

In the present study, urinary tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) levels in nonproliferative glomerulopathies [minimal change disease (n = 4), focal glomerulosclerosis (n = 4), membranous glomerulonephritis (GN) (n = 1), and in patients with chronic glomerulopathies (n = 4)] were c ompared to proliferative ones [a rapidly progressive GN patient and 8 patients with mesangial proliferative GN and membranoproliferative GN (MPGN) who had clinically active disease]. The mean urine TNF levels o f the proliferative group were significantly higher than both the nonp roliferative GN and 4 controls, whereas the mean value of the nonproli ferative group was not significantly different than the controls. The urine TNF levels in 4 MPGN patients with chronic disease and in 2 who entered remission were also very low. In the patients with active rena l disease and cellular proliferation there were significant correlatio ns between the urinary TNF levels and both proteinuria and the clinica l activity scores. We suggest that in human proliferative glomerulopat hies TNF may be implicated in the glomerular inflammation.