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Proenkephalin (PENK) as a Novel Biomarker for Kidney Function
Remi Beunders1, Joachim Struck2, Alan H B Wu3
1Department of Intensive Care, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine
|February 27, 2021
Summary
Proenkephalin (PENK) shows promise as a novel biomarker for assessing kidney function and acute kidney injury (AKI). Its plasma concentration may offer a more accurate and less labor-intensive alternative to current methods.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Biomarker Discovery
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Current kidney function tests, like creatinine-based assays, lack accuracy and sensitivity.
- Gold standard methods, such as inulin clearance, are labor-intensive and prone to errors.
- Novel biomarkers like NGAL, KIM-1, and TIMP-2*IGFBP-7 have limited clinical implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of proenkephalin (PENK) as a novel biomarker for kidney function assessment.
- To compare PENK with established and emerging biomarkers for detecting acute kidney injury (AKI).
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on enkephalins and kidney function.
- Analysis of PENK's filtration in the glomerulus and its correlation with glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
- Examination of PENK's association with AKI outcomes and its potential direct effects on kidney via opioid receptors.
Main Results:
- PENK is filtered in the glomerulus and its plasma concentration correlates with GFR in sepsis and cardiac disease patients.
- Elevated PENK levels are linked to long-term outcomes in AKI and cardiac conditions.
- The kidney expresses high densities of the delta-opioid receptor, suggesting enkephalins may directly impact renal function.
Conclusions:
- Proenkephalin (PENK) presents a promising new biomarker for kidney function assessment.
- PENK may offer a more accurate and efficient alternative to current diagnostic methods for AKI.
- Further research into PENK's clinical utility is warranted.
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