Objective: We aimed to investigate the roles of cytokines during polyomavirus BK (BKV) reactivation in renal transplant patients.

Materials and Methods: Fortyeight renal allograft recipients were enrolled, and their sera BKV viral load and mRNA expression levels of cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Patient's age and gene expression levels of interleukin (IL)-2 (10.04 +/- 2.63 vs. 8.70 +/- 2.40, p = 0.049) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-b (12.58 +/- 2.59 vs. 10.89 +/- 1.91, p = 0.015) were significantly higher in BKV viremia (+) renal transplant patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age and mRNA expression levels of TGF-b, but not IL-2, significantly correlated with the presence of BKV viremia. Sera BKV viral loads showed a positive correlation with patient age and the levels of TGF-b and IL-6 mRNA. After adjusting for age and sex in the regression model, both age and TGF-b mRNA levels maintained a significant positive association with sera BKV viral loads. Serum TGF-b concentration tended to be higher in BKV viremia (+) patients (p = 0.079).

Conclusion: Expression levels of TGF-b were found to correlate with both BKV viremia positivity and sera BKV viral loads in renal transplant patients.

CITATION INFORMATION: Yin W. Increased Gene Expression of TGF-b in Renal Transplant Patients with Polyomavirus BK Viremia Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

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