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Updated: Feb 8, 2026
Murine Renal Transplantation Procedure
Published on: July 10, 2009
Urinary peptidomic biomarkers of renal function in heart transplant recipients
Qi-Fang Huang1,2, Zhen-Yu Zhang1,3, Jan Van Keer4
1Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Insights
The proteomic urinary classifier CKD273 and specific urinary peptides correlate with kidney function in heart transplant recipients. These biomarkers, including collagen I and mucin-1 fragments, show promise for assessing renal dysfunction post-transplant.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
- Proteomics
Background:
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant complication in heart transplant (HTx) recipients.
- Assessing renal function in these patients is crucial for long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the correlation between the proteomic urinary classifier CKD273 and specific urinary peptides with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in HTx recipients.
- To determine the predictive value of these urinary biomarkers for renal dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 368 HTx patients was studied.
- Urinary peptidome was measured, and CKD273 and 48 urinary peptides were analyzed.
- eGFR and urinary biomarkers were reassessed after a median follow-up of 9.1 months.
Main Results:
- A 1-SD increase in CKD273 was associated with a significant decrease in eGFR and increased odds of eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m².
- CKD273 demonstrated a higher area under the curve than 24-h proteinuria for predicting eGFR category at follow-up.
- Fragments of collagen I and mucin-1 were identified as key correlates of eGFR and its change over time.
Conclusions:
- CKD273 shows a stronger association with imminent renal dysfunction than 24-h proteinuria in HTx recipients, excluding baseline eGFR.
- Urinary collagen I and mucin-1 fragments serve as single-peptide markers associated with renal dysfunction.
- These findings highlight the potential of urinary proteomics for monitoring kidney health after heart transplantation.
Background:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in patients after heart transplantation (HTx). We assessed whether in HTx recipients the proteomic urinary classifier CKD273 or sequenced urinary peptides revealing the parental proteins correlated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Methods:
In 368 HTx patients, we measured the urinary peptidome and analysed CKD273 and 48 urinary peptides with a detectable signal in >95% of participants. After 9.1 months (median), eGFR and the urinary biomarkers were reassessed.
Results:
In multivariable Bonferroni-corrected analyses of the baseline data, a 1-SD increase in CKD273 was associated with a 11.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 7.25-15.5] mL/min/1.73 m2 lower eGFR and an odds ratio of 2.63 (1.56-4.46) for having eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. While relating eGFR category at follow-up to baseline urinary biomarkers, CKD273 had higher (P = 0.007) area under the curve (0.75; 95% CI 0.70-0.80) than 24-h proteinuria (0.64; 95% CI 0.58-0.69), but additional adjustment for baseline eGFR removed significance of both biomarkers. In partial least squares analysis, the strongest correlates of the multivariable-adjusted baseline eGFR were fragments of collagen I (positive) and the mucin-1 subunit α (inverse). Associations between the changes in eGFR and the urinary markers were inverse for CKD273 and mucin-1 and positive for urinary collagen I.
Conclusions:
With the exception of baseline eGFR, CKD273 was more closer associated with imminent renal dysfunction than 24-h proteinuria. Fragments of collagen I and mucin-1-respectively, positively and inversely associated with eGFR and change in eGFR-are single-peptide markers associated with renal dysfunction.
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