Urinary mRNA expression of CCN2/CCN3 as a noninvasive marker for monitoring glomerular structure changes in nondiabetic chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Background: We investigated whether urinary mRNA of connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) and nephroblastoma overexpressed gene (CCN3) can provide clinical insight into the management of patients with nondiabetic CKD.

Methods: Urinary mRNA expression of CCN2 and CCN3 were measured by Real-time PCR in 35 CKD patients and 12 controls.

Results: Urinary mRNA of CCN2 and CCN3 were distinctively greater in CKDs than healthy controls. Urinary CCN3/CCN2 mRNA ratio correlated to the degree of glomerular histological changes in those who received renal biopsy.

Conclusion: Urinary CCN3/CCN2 mRNA ratio may be a useful noninvasive biomarker for evaluating patients with nondiabetic CKD prior to renal biopsy.

Keywords::

• CCN2
• CCN3
• biomarker
• nondiabetic CKD
• urinary mRNA

Acknowledgments

We thank nephrology research group in Zhongda Hospital for their critical comments and suggestions, also thank our patients and their family members for their strong support.

Declaration of interest

This study was supported by the National Natural Scientific Funding Committee (Key Program, No. 81130010), Jiangsu Provincial Natural Scientific Funding committee (No. BK2011609) and the National Key Basic Research Project (“973”) (No. 2012CB517700) to B.C.L.; Chinese National Natural Scientific fund (No. 30900343) to J.D.Z. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.