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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
A Modified Precipitation Method to Isolate Urinary Exosomes
Published on: January 16, 2015
CD2AP mRNA in urinary exosome as biomarker of kidney disease
Lin-Li Lv1, Yu-Han Cao1, Ming-Ming Pan1
1Institute of Nephrology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Aims:
Podocyte injury plays an important role in the pathogenesis of kidney disease. Urinary exosomes are microvesicles released by tubular epithelial cells and podocytes containing information of their originated cells. This study investigated for the first time whether podocyte related mRNA in urinary exosome could serve as novel biomarkers for kidney disease.
Methods:
Urine samples were collected from 32 patients of kidney disease who underwent kidney biopsy and 7 controls. CD2AP, NPHS2 and synaptopodin were detected by real-time RT-PCR on RNA isolated from urinary exosome.
Results:
The pellet microvesicles were positively stained with exosome and podocyte marker, AQP2, CD9 and nephrin. CD2AP mRNA was lower (p=0.008) in kidney disease patients compared with controls and decreased with the increasing severity of proteinuria (p=0.06). CD2AP correlated with serum creatinine (r=-0.373, p=0.035), BUN (r=-0.445, p=0.009) and eGFR (r=0.351, p=0.046). Neither NPHS2 nor synaptopodin correlated with parameters of renal function. CD2AP mRNA correlated negatively with 24 hour urine protein (r=-0.403, p=0.022), severity of tubulointerstitial fibrosis (r=-0.394, p=0.026) and glomerulosclerosis (r=-0.389, p=0.031) and could discriminate kidney disease from controls with AUC of 0.821 (p=0.008).
Conclusions:
Urinary exosome mRNA of CD2AP might be a non-invasive tool for detecting both renal function and fibrosis of kidney disease.
Insights
Urinary exosome messenger RNA (mRNA) for CD2AP may serve as a non-invasive biomarker for kidney disease. Lower CD2AP mRNA levels in exosomes correlate with reduced renal function and increased kidney fibrosis.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Molecular Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Podocyte injury is central to kidney disease pathogenesis.
- Urinary exosomes contain molecular cargo from originating cells, including podocytes.
- Novel biomarkers are needed for non-invasive kidney disease detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate podocyte-related mRNA in urinary exosomes as potential kidney disease biomarkers.
- To assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of urinary exosome CD2AP mRNA.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples from 32 kidney disease patients and 7 controls were analyzed.
- Exosomes were isolated, and their markers confirmed.
- Real-time RT-PCR quantified CD2AP, NPHS2, and synaptopodin mRNA in urinary exosomes.
Main Results:
- CD2AP mRNA was significantly lower in kidney disease patients compared to controls (p=0.008).
- CD2AP mRNA levels correlated with proteinuria, serum creatinine, BUN, and eGFR.
- CD2AP mRNA showed negative correlations with tubulointerstitial fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis, discriminating kidney disease with AUC 0.821.
Conclusions:
- Urinary exosome CD2AP mRNA is a promising non-invasive biomarker for kidney disease.
- CD2AP mRNA may reflect renal function and fibrosis severity.
- This finding offers a potential tool for early kidney disease detection and monitoring.
