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Updated: May 9, 2026
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
S100A12 gene expression is increased in peripheral leukocytes in chronic kidney disease stage 4-5 patients with
Masaki Hara1, Minoru Ando, Taku Morito
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Insights
Elevated S100A12 in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stems from increased gene expression in leukocytes, particularly in those with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This finding links S100A12 to CKD pathogenesis and CVD complications.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Nephrology
Background:
- S100A12 protein promotes vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis development.
- Elevated serum S100A12 is observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, but the underlying cause is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reason for elevated serum S100A12 concentrations in CKD patients.
- To explore the relationship between S100A12 gene expression and serum levels in CKD.
- To assess the association of S100A12 with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in CKD patients.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative real-time RT-PCR was used to measure S100A12 and RAGE mRNA levels in peripheral leukocytes.
- Serum concentrations of S100A12 and soluble RAGE were quantified using ELISA.
- Study included 40 CKD patients (stages 4-5) and 20 healthy controls, with subgroup analysis for CVD presence.
Main Results:
- CKD patients exhibited significantly higher serum S100A12 concentrations and S100A12 mRNA levels in leukocytes compared to healthy subjects.
- Serum S100A12 levels strongly correlated with S100A12 mRNA expression in uremic CKD patients.
- Both serum S100A12 and its gene expression were significantly elevated in CKD patients with concurrent CVD.
Conclusions:
- Increased S100A12 gene expression in leukocytes of CKD patients contributes to elevated serum S100A12 levels.
- This elevated expression is particularly pronounced in CKD patients with cardiovascular disease.
- S100A12 may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of vascular complications in CKD.
Background/Aims:
S100A12 induces vascular inflammation contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. Serum S100A12 concentration is shown to be elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), however the reason remains unclear.
Methods:
Transcriptional levels of S100A12 and RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) were measured in peripheral leukocytes by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Subjects were 40 patients with CKD stage 4-5, 20 of whom were affected with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 20 healthy subjects. Serum concentrations of S100A12 and soluble RAGE were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results:
The serum concentration of S100A12 was significantly higher in CKD patients than in healthy subjects (78.5 ± 70.5 vs. 23.7 ± 19.2 ng/ml, p = 0.0035), but that of soluble RAGE was not. The relative quantity of S100A12 mRNA was significantly greater in leukocytes from CKD patients than in those from healthy subjects [mean (95% confidence interval of the mean): 3.1 (2.2-3.9) vs. 1.2 (0.8-1.7), p = 0.0001], however that of RAGE mRNA was not. The serum concentration of S100A12 was significantly correlated with the relative quantity of S100A12 mRNA among uremic CKD patients (r(2) = 0.656, p < 0.0001). Both the serum concentration and gene expression of S100A12 were significantly higher in patients who had CVD than in those who did not.
Conclusion:
Excessive expression of the S100A12 gene in uremic leukocytes is relevant to its increased serum concentration, particularly in those affected with CVD.
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