Measurement of interleukin-1β mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic renal failure

Abstract

We evaluated levels of plasma interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-1β mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with chronic renal failure. Patients with chronic renal failure included 13 patients not undergoing dialysis, 10 patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, and 16 patients underoing hemodialysis. The levels of plasma IL-1βwere measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and IL-1βmRNA levels were evaluated by using the competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. PCR was performed by coamplifying the IL-1β mutant template containing a uniqueSac I site in samples that contained identical amounts of β-action. The levels of plasma IL-1β were below a delectable level. The levels of IL-1βmRNA in each group with chronic renal failure were significantly higher than that in healthy subjects. Levels of IL-1β mRNA in the PBMCs were augmented at the end of dialysis sessions compared to those at the start of dialysis. Results suggest that the overexpression of IL-1β mRNA in PBMCs may be induced by uremic substances, as well as by dialysis per se.