Molecular evaluation of renal biopsies: a search for predictive and prognostic markers in lupus nephritis

Abstract

Evaluation of: Reich HN, Landolt-Marticorena C, Boutros PC et al. Molecular markers of injury in kidney biopsy specimens of patients with lupus nephritis. J. Mol. Diagn. 13(2), 143–151 (2011).

The therapeutic management of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) remains a major challenge. The availability of biomarkers that accurately predict renal flares, response to immunosuppressive treatment and risk of progression to end-stage renal disease would allow the more effective use of currently available immunosuppression, with less toxicity. The molecular analysis of renal biopsy samples provides direct insights into pathologic processes in LN, and constitutes a valuable approach to discover biomarkers that may be used to improve the outcome of LN patients. Reich et al. recently described a method for simultaneously detecting multiple mRNA transcripts in archived formalin-fixed renal biopsy samples. The authors identify three transcripts (EGF, MMP7 and COL1A1) that relate to pathological indices of kidney injury and function.

Keywords::

• COL1A1
• epidermal growth factor
• formalin-fixed renal biopsies
• lupus nephritis
• MMP7
• mRNA
• Taqman low-density array analysis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Research in Monika Edelbauer’s laboratory is supported by the OeNB Jubilaeumsfonds (Austria) and Gesellschaft fuer Paediatrische Nephrologie. Research in Jacqueline Ho’s laboratory is supported by grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.