The use of extracellular matrix probes and extracellular matrix-related probes for assessing diagnosis and prognosis in renal diseases.
OBJECTIVE
Scarring in the kidney results from excessive local synthesis and exogenous accumulation of extracellular matrix components. Once chronic damage is present in the biopsy, therapeutic intervention for the renal patient encounters severe limitations. It is therefore essential to determine clinical outcome preferably at a time point before the development of overt scarring. Clinical parameters and morphologic alterations in the biopsy are currently used as tools for the diagnosis of the renal disease entity and for assessment of the patient's prognosis. Expression levels of extracellular matrix and matrix-related components may serve as additive and even superior prognostic indicators to conventional parameters. We will elaborate on studies supporting this concept.


RESULTS
Several investigators have shown in experimental models for renal disease that extracellular matrix probes and related probes reflect disease progression and predict outcome. In this review, we will provide an update on the most recent studies of human renal biopsies showing that expression of extracellular matrix components, regulators of matrix degradation, and cytokines affecting matrix deposition may be employed for discrimination of diagnostic groups and predicting prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Molecular techniques are expected to be used more and more for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in nephrological practice to supplement the histopathological analysis of the renal biopsy. Assessment of expression of matrix molecules, matrix-regulating cytokines, and metalloproteinases in renal kidney biopsies is helpful to distinguish patients who are at risk of developing progressive renal failure from patients who are likely to recover from renal tissue injury by natural remodeling mechanisms.
Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 1, L1-Q, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. M.Eikmans@LUMC.NL
Michael
M
Eikmans
Daphne H T
DH
Ijpelaar
Hans J
HJ
Baelde
Emile
E
de Heer
Jan A
JA
Bruijn
D015415:Biomarkers; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000009:adverse effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000175:diagnosis; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases / Q000502:physiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D019714:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinases; D016572:Cyclosporine; D045726:Metalloproteases