Expression of transforming growth factor beta1 in patients with and without previous abdominal surgery.

Abstract

Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) plays an important role in the formation of adhesions after abdominal operations. Prospective, observational study. University-based, tertiary referral center. Patients undergoing elective open abdominal operations were recruited and divided into 2 groups. Twenty-two patients with a history of abdominal surgery were designated as study patients, and 10 patients with no history of abdominal surgery served as controls. Samples of normal peritoneum, peritoneal scar tissues, and serum were obtained from all patients at the time of surgery. Samples were assayed for total TGF-beta1 expression using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Scar tissues expressed significantly greater amounts of TGF-beta1 (0.47 pg/ micro L) compared with normal peritoneal tissue from both study patients (0.29 pg/ micro L; P =.03) and controls (0.17 pg/ micro L; P =.002). Serum TGF-beta1 levels were also higher in study patients (1.71 pg/ micro L) compared with controls (1.22 pg/ micro L; P =.02). Neither adhesion nor serum TGF-beta1 expression correlated with time since last operation, total number of previous operations, or severity of intra-abdominal adhesions. These results suggest that TGF-beta1 may play an important role in human peritoneal adhesion formation.