Clinical significance of level changes of TGF-β_1 and therapeutic effects of provastatin in patients with diabetic nephropathy

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of changes in the levels of transforming growth factor-β_1(TGF-β_1),and the changes in the levels of TGF-β_1 after treatment with provastatin in the patients with diabetic nephropathy.Methods Eighty patients with diabetic mellitus were divided into two groups according to the urinary albumin excretion rate(UAER),of which 44 were diabetic patients without nephropathy(group A) and 36 patients with diabetic nephropathy(group B).Group B was treated with provastatin.Venous blood samples were obtained in all patients before and after the administration of provastatin for 6,12 and 24 weeks.The levels of TGF-β_1 were detected with ELISA at different times after the patients with diabetic nephropathy were treated with provastatin,and the levels of total urinary proteins per 24 hours were also detected.Forty healthy subjects were included as controls.Results The levels of serum TGF-β_1in the diabetic patients were significantly higher than those in controls.The levels of serum TGF-β_1 in group B were significantly higher than those in group A.After the administration of provastatin,the levels of urinary proteins per 24 hours were decreased in group B,and the serum TGF-β_1 levels in group B were progressively declined as the treatment with provastatin continued.Conclusion TGF-β_1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.Provastatin may achieve its therapeutic effects in diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting the expression of TGF-β_1.