Biomarkers of kidney injury

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Inner cortex of a rat kidney shown after 24 h of reperfusion following experimental bilateral renal ischemia by clamping of both renal pedicles for 60 min. Kidneys were perfusion-fixed with paraformaldehyde and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Slightly dilated tubules of the S3-segments of the proximal tubule are packed with detached cells in the lumen (examples are indicated by arrows), the basal membrane is denuded. Congested vasa recta (in middle) are filled blood cells (from N. Obermüller, personal data).

Table 1.  Characteristics of AKI biomarkers.

Emerging biomarker	Measured in	Time to elevation (h)	Method of detection	Tested in scenario of AKI	Adults/children
NGAL	Plasma/urine	2–6	ELISA	CS, CN, KT, SE	Both
KIM-1	Urine	6	ELISA	CS, CN, KT, SE	Both
IL-18	Urine	4–6	ELISA	ATN, CN, CRD, CS, PA, KT, UTI	Both
NAG	Urine	6	Colorimetric assay	CS, CRD, DI, KT	Both
Netrin-1	Urine	2	ELISA	CN, CS, DI, KT, IS, SE	Adults
MCP-1	Urine	4	ELISA	CRD, IS	Adults

Abbreviations: ATN, acute tubular necrosis; CN, contrast nephropathy; CRD, chronic renal disease; CS, cardiac surgery; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; KT, kidney transplantation; PA, prerenal azotemia; SE, sepsis; UTI, urinary tract infection; IS, ischemic AKI; DI, drug-induced AKI