Effect of serum Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance on the occurrence and development of various chronic glomerulonephritis

Abstract

Objective: To explore the changes of serum interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) of various chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) patients and further investigate the effect of serum cytokine Th1/Th2 on the occurrence and development of various CGN. Methods: Venous blood of 9 patients with IgA mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (IgA nephropathy), 18 patients with non-IgA mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (non-IgA MsPGN), 7 patients with membranous nephropathy (MN), 6 patients with focal segmental sclerosing glomerulonephritis (FSGS), 14 patients with chronic renal failure, and 20 health people were collected for the study. Serum IFN-γ and IL-10 were assayed by double antibody sandwich ELISA, and there was a measurement of 24 h urinary protein excretion and serum creatinine which were statistically analysed. Results: The IFN-γ of the patients with IgA nephropathy or non-IgA MsPGN saw a great growth, but that of the patients with MN badly reduced, and IFN-γ of the patients’ non-IgA MsPGN was positively related to 24 h urinary protein excretion; IL-10 of the patients IgA nephropathy, non-IgA MsPGN, FSGC and CRF saw a significant decrease, and that of the patients with CRF was negatively associated with serum creatinine. Conclusion: Serum IFN-γ plays a role in the improvement of immunologic injury of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis which is related to the formation of proteinuria; the occurrence and development of CGN is closely linked to the decrease of IL-10, so does the development of CRF, and the imbalance of serum TH1/TH2 cytokines has certain correlation with clinical indexes.