Mesangial cell proliferation is directly enhanced by sera from patients with renal insufficiency

Abstract We undertook the present study to determine whether there is a direct effect of sera from patients with renal insufficiency on mesangial cell proliferation. Growth-arrested mesangial cells were incubated with sera from patients with varying degrees of renal insufficiency and then pulsed with [ 3 H]thymidine. Thymidine uptake was progressively greater with more advanced renal failure and was linearly correlated with (creatinine) −1 . This data suggests that serum from patients with loss of renal function contains mitogens capable of directly enhancing mesangial cell proliferation.