Renal dysfunction is a severe late complicadon of heart transplantation (HTx). Transforminggrowth factor pi (TGF beta I) is a potent multifunctional cytokinewith profibrogeneiceffect.TGFpI gene polymorphism correlates with cytokine production. In the present study, we looked for a predictor of renal insufficiency after HTx. In 175HT xpts and 268 controls, polymorphism in the signal peptide of the TGF beta I gene, substitution of leucine-proline at codon 10 and arginine-proline at codon 25, was evaluated by PCR. Renal function was followed after HTx and was compared with the TGF pI genotypes. There were no differencesin the frequencies of allelesand genotypes of TGFbeta I gene in the healthy population and HTx recipients;TGF beta I genotype distribution in recipients with ischemic heart disease and dilated cardiomyopathy was almost identical. Renal function was decreasing in most HTx recipients with time. Progression of renal insufficiency (RI) was worse in patients with Leu at codon 10 (Leu Leu vs. Leu Pro p

Keywords: growth factor-beta I, gene polymorphism, Heart Transplantation, renal insufficiency