title: N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase urine activity as a marker of early proximal tubule damage and a predictor of the long-term function of the transplanted kidneys.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a factor leading to the damages of the transplanted kidney, what affects mainly the proximal tubules. Early monitoring of tubule damage can be an efficient tool to predict the allograft dysfunction. Present in proximal tubules, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) is a lysosomal enzyme whose excretion rises as a result of IRI or acute rejection. The aim of this study was to monitor the NAG urine activity to evaluate the early proximal tubule damage, and to try to predict the long-term function of the transplanted kidney.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 87 Caucasian renal transplant recipients (61.7% males, 38.3% females, mean age 45.56±14.34 years). Urine samples were collected for NAG and creatinine analysis on the 1st day after transplantation, and then in the 3rd and 12th month. Protocol biopsies were performed in the 3rd and 12th month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant positive correlation between NAG urine activity in the 3rd month after transplantation and creatinine concentration on the 14th (p=0.004) and 30th day (p=0.05), in the 3rd month (p=0.009) and after the 1st (p=0.005) and 2nd year (p=0.003) was observed. A statistically significantly higher urinary NAG activity in samples collected in the first 3 days and in the 3rd month after transplantation among patients with DGF (p=0.006 and p=0.03 respectively) was found. There was a significant positive correlation between NAG urine activity in the 3rd month and the grade of tubular atrophy in specimens collected in the 3rd (p=0.03) and 12th (p=0.04) month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monitoring of NAG urine activity is useful in the evaluation of early proximal tubule damage and predicting the long-term function of the transplanted kidneys.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kwiatkowska
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domański
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bober
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kłoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Safranow
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szymańska-Pasternak
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Surgery and Transplantology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romanowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Aneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sulecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pawlik
authors.affiliation: Clinical Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ciechanowski
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase