IN-SITU LOCALIZATION OF TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA-1 MESSENGER-RNA IN THE RAT-KIDNEY WITH MASUGI NEPHRITIS

Masugi nephritis was induced in rats by the administration of nephroto xic duck serum and, in their kidneys, the distributions of transformin g growth factor-beta 1(TGF-beta 1) mRNA, TGF-beta 1, and macrophage an tigenic marker were investigated. Kidney specimens were obtained at 3, 7, and 14 days after the injection. By in situ hybridization, TGF-bet a 1 mRNA was found to be localized in the cells of mesangial region fr om the early stage of nephritis. By the immunohistochemical stainings, TGF-beta 1 was found to be localized in the cells of distal convolute d tubulus throughout the experiments and the macrophage antigenic mark er was found to be localized in the occasional cells which were differ ent from that contained TGF-beta 1 mRNA. Our data indicate that TGF-be ta 1 mRNA is expressed by the resident glomerular cells and not by the migrating macrophages in rat kidney with Masugi nephritis. (C) 1994 W iley-Liss, Inc.