Evaluation of Fibrosis Markers: Apelin and Transforming Growth Factor-β1 in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Patients.

Renal interstitial fibrosis is an important pathological feature of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), which progressively develops to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). It has been shown that apelin and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) play important roles in the renal fibrosis process. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the relationship of these fibrosis markers and ADPKD. Forty-five patients with ADPKD and 28 healthy controls were studied cross-sectionally. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), apelin, TGF-β1 were measured in all participants, using conventional methods. Apelin levels were lower (1.2 ± 0.9 ng/mL vs. 2.5 ±  1.3 ng/mL, P < 0.001), while TGF-β1 levels were higher in the patient group according to healthy controls (466.5 ±  200.5 ng/L vs. 367.1 ± 163.45 ng/L, P = 0.031), respectively. Apelin was negatively correlated with TGF-β1 and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP); and positively correlated with eGFR. In all subjects, eGFR was independently predicted by TGF-β1 and apelin. Apelin and TGF-β1 may be used as biomarkers of renal fibrosis that is an important pathological feature of ADPKD, which progressively develops to ESRD in ADPKD patients.