QUANTIFICATION OF CHANGES IN TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA-1 GENE-EXPRESSION IN EXPERIMENTAL CRESCENTIC GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1) has recently been ident ified as a promoter of glomerular scarring in glomerulonephritis. The present studies employed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods to quantify changes in transcriptional activation of TGF beta 1 in ex perimental crescentic glomerulonephritis. The disease was induced in t he rat, and total RNA was isolated from glomeruli at stages in which p roliferation, crescent formation, and scarring were prominent features , Total glomerular RNA was reverse transcribed (RT) to cDNA, and RT pr oducts were subsequently analyzed by comparative and competitive PCR, Enhanced TGF beta 1 expression was apparent at the onset of proliferat ive glomerulonephritis and prominent during the phase of crescent form ation, The observations indicate that PCR-based methods allow quantita tion of changes in glomerular TGF beta 1 expression in the course of g lomerulonephritis.