The aims of this study were (1) to detect toll-like receptor (TLR)-3, TLR-4 and CD80 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and estimate urinary CD80 levels in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and (2) to investigate the utility of these markers to differentiate between biopsy-proven minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomeruloscelerosis (FSGS).
In order to investigate this, we studied TLR4 gene and protein expression and TLR4 downward signaling in kidney biopsies of 12 patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria, and compared them with 11 patients with overt DN, 10 with minimal change disease (MCD), and control kidneys from 13 patients undergoing surgery for a small renal mass.