Dp. Basile, The transforming growth factor beta system in kidney disease and repair: recent progress and future directions, CURR OP NEP, 8(1), 1999, pp. 21-30
Transforming growth factor beta is a multifunctional polypeptide growth fac
tor implicated in a variety of renal diseases. The expression of transformi
ng growth factor beta is enhanced in renal diseases and available evidence
suggests that its activity in promoting the synthesis of extracellular matr
ix plays a crucial role in fibrotic deposition and the decline in renal fun
ction. Transforming growth factor beta is, however, also expressed in respo
nse to renal injury and may play an important role in normal repair process
es. It appears that renal diseases may result from the inappropriate regula
tion of transforming growth factor beta expression. The determination of th
e factors that mediate transforming growth factor beta activity will be of
primary importance in elucidating the mechanisms leading to renal disease o
r repair after injury. Both in-vitro and in-vivo studies have demonstrated
that proteolytic activity, thrombospondin-l, elevated glucose, angiotensin
II, oxidant stress and hemodynamic forces regulate transforming growth fact
or beta activity through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mech
anisms. In some cases, therapies that may partly disrupt renal transforming
growth factor beta activity have shown promise in slowing the progression
to end-stage renal disease. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 8:21-30. (C) 1999 L
ippincott Williams & Wilkins.