Quantitative Proteomics: Recent Advances in Glomerular Disease and Nephrotic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects nearly 10% (∼850 million people) of the global population and stands among leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare cost. Current clinical biomarkers including serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and proteinuria, are all lagging indicators of nephron damage only after glomerular and podocyte injury and are often coincident with tubule damage and fibrosis and indicative of advanced CKD.

SUMMARY: This review summarizes recent progress in proteomics applications in CKD and glomerular diseases, emphasizing biomarker discovery, mechanistic understanding, and translational potential. Finally, we discuss current challenges, future directions, and goals integrating proteomics into clinical nephrology and advancing personalized care.

KEY MESSAGES: Quantitative proteomics has emerged as a powerful molecular methodology to identify novel biomarkers toward delineating disease mechanism across plasma, urine, and renal tissue. Advances in quantitative mass spectrometry, single-cell, and spatial proteomics now enable high-resolution characterization of glomerular and tubular pathobiology, offering new opportunities for early detection, risk stratification, and precision therapeutics.