J Korean Soc Pediatr Nephrol.  2003 Apr;7(1):16-22.

Changes of Plasma and Urinary TNF-alpha in Children with Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome and Its Role in Albumin Permeability

• Cho MH
• Lee HS
• Oh HH
• Chung KY
• Ko CW
• Koo JH

Abstract

PURPOSE: Minimal Change Disease(MCD) is the most common primary nephrotic syndrome in children. Some suggested that tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) are involved in the pathogenesis of MCD. This study was done to see the changes of plasma and urinary TNF-alpha, and their effects on the permeability of glomerular basement membrane.
METHODS
Study patients consisted of 19 biopsy-proven MCD children aged 2-15 years old. Both plasma and urinary TNF-alpha were measured. Employing the Millicell system, TNF-alpha were screened for the permeability factors.
RESULTS
Urinary TNF-alpha during relapse was significantly increased(P<0.01). No significant change was seen in the plasma TNF-alpha during relapse when compared to those in remission and the healthy controls. Furthermore, in the in vitro Millicell system, TNF-alpha did not produce a significant change in albumin permeability.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, it seems that TNF-alpha may not play a disease-specific role in the pathogenesis of MCD.

Keyword

TNF-alpha; Minimal change nephrotic syndrome; Albumin permeability

MeSH Terms

Child*
Glomerular Basement Membrane
Humans
Necrosis
Nephrosis, Lipoid*
Nephrotic Syndrome
Permeability*
Plasma*
Recurrence
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha