Serum and urinary transforming growth factor beta 1 as biochemical markers in diabetic nephropathy patients

Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) is considered to be one of the major cytokines involved in the regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and degradation. Discrepant results were reported for urine TGF-β1 in diabetic patients. The aim of the present study is to investigate urine and serum TGF-β1 in patients with type II diabetes with and without nephropathy.The study was performed on 72 patients with type II diabetes (26 macroalbuminuria, 27 microalbuminuria and 19 normoalbuminuria) together with 30 healthy subjects to serve as controls. Urinary and serum TGF-β1 and urine albumin were investigated by Elisa, plasma glucose, whole blood glycated hemoglobin, Urinary and serum total protein, creatinine, were determined by colorimetric methods. Urine and serum TGF-β1 were significantly increased in all diabetic groups being more pronounced in the macroalbuminuria group than micro and normoalbuminuria groups. Also urine total protein was increased, being more pronounced in macroalbuminuria group than other groups. Urinary and serum TGF-β1 showed high positive correlation with urinary total protein concentration in macro and microalbuminuria groups r = (0.9, 0.9, 0.8 and 0.89) respectively. The results revealed significant increase in Urinary and serum TGF-β1 and their concentrations in urine were parallel to urine proteins and albumin concentrations; urinary and serum TGF-β1 showed high positive correlation with urinary total protein, so it could be used as a marker with total protein and albumin to confirm the diabetic nephropathy in type II diabetic patients.