title: Molecular pathways involved in loss of graft function in kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: Interstitial fibrosis (IF) and tubular atrophy (TA) are integral parts of chronic allograft dysfunction and represent in the new classification a separate entity with or without the identification of a specific etiology. Loss of kidney graft function with IF/TA is one of the causes of most kidney allograft losses. Despite progress in immunosuppression, chronic allograft dysfunction remains the main clinical challenge for improving long-term graft survival. The sustained damage to the allograft does not represent a single entity but the summated effects of tissue injury from several pathogenic insults, as well as the kidney's healing response, modified by alloimmunity and immunosuppression. A major challenge in the future of kidney transplantation includes the study of chronic allograft dysfunction pathogenesis to identify early markers of disease progression, as well as potential therapeutics pathways.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Transplant Research Laboratory, Transplant Division, Department of Surgery, Molecular Medicine Research Building, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. vmas@mcvh-vcu.edu
authors.forename: Valeria R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Mas
authors.forename: Kellie J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Archer
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scian
authors.forename: Daniel G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Maluf
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018450:Disease Progression; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers