Urinary connective tissue growth factor increases far earlier than histopathological damage and functional deterioration in early chronic renal allograft injury.

OBJECTIVE: To date, serum biochemistry examination and routine biopsy are the most commonly used methods to assess renal function after allogenic kidney transplantation. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) has been considered as a biomarker of chronic renal allograft injury characterized by tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis (TA/IF). This study explored the potential value of urinary CTGF as an early predictor of TA/IF using a rat model.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A Fisher to Lewis allogenic rat kidney transplant model was established and the recipients were killed at weeks 4, 8 and 12 post-transplantation. TA/IF was graded based on Banff Schema 1997. The location and expression of CTGF mRNA were detected by oligonucleotide-primed in situ DNA synthesis and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. CTGF protein expression was examined with immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Urinary CTGF concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation between urinary CTGF concentration and serum creatinine (SCr) and Banff score was analysed statistically.

RESULTS: Typical morphological changes including TA/IF in allograft appeared at week 8 and became very severe at week 12 post-transplantation. CTGF expression in epithelium was up-regulated early and urinary CTGF was markedly elevated from week 4. SCr in recipients was stable before week 8 but increased tremendously at week 12. Urinary CTGF concentration was positively correlated with SCr and degree of interstitial fibrosis.

CONCLUSION: Urinary CTGF increases earlier than the appearance of biochemical abnormalities and pathological changes. Measurement of urinary CTGF may offer a potential non-invasive strategy to predict the early onset of chronic renal allograft injury.