Urinary Microtubule-Associated Protein Light Chain3 and Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, as Potential Noninvasive Biomarkers for Subclinical Rejection at 3 Months after Kidney Transplantation

S. Tajima¹, R. Fu², M. Fukuda², K. Suetsugu², Y. Okabe³, S. Masuda¹

¹Pharmacy, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan, ²Clinical Pharmacology and Biopharmaceutics, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, ³Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan

Meeting: 2019 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: C155

Keywords: Immunosuppression, Rejection, Renal dysfunction, Toxocity

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session C: Kidney: Acute Cellular Rejection

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Monday, June 3, 2019

Session Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm

Presentation Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm

Location: Hall C & D

*Purpose: Biopsy proven acute rejection without clinical symptoms such as subclinical rejection (SCR) is supposed to associate graft loss in the long term post kidney transplant course. Limited protocol biopsy-based histological examinations were carried out to detect SCR. Therefore, noninvasive technologies for accurate diagnosis of SCR are required in the posttransplant clinical course. Recently, several urinary biomarkers reflecting acute kidney injury have been discovered. In the present study, the urinary microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) at 3 months after kidney transplantation were examined as the potential noninvasive biomarkers to detect SCR or not.

*Methods: Eighty adult patients who underwent kidney transplantation at Kyushu University Hospital between August 2014 and September 2016, were enrolled with the written informed consent. Urine samples were collected at 3 months after kidney transplantation. The urinary LC3, MCP-1 and NGAL were measured using ELISA kits specific for each peptide. The level of each urinary biomarker was normalized to urinary creatinine levels to adjust for changes in urine concentration.

*Results: SCR occurred in 11patients (13.8%) by protocol biopsy at 3 months after transplantation. The urinary LC3, MCP-1 and NGAL in SCR were significantly higher than those in the patients without SCR (Control). Multivariate regression models, receiver-operating characteristics (ROC), and areas under the ROC curves (AUC) revealed that the urinary LC3 and NGAL levels were able to act as SCR predictors (AUC = 0.725 and 0.715, respectively) compared to urinary MCP-1 levels.

*Conclusions: Urinary LC3 and NGAL levels were suggested to be potential noninvasive biomarkers to detect SCR at 3 months after kidney transplantation.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Tajima S, Fu R, Fukuda M, Suetsugu K, Okabe Y, Masuda S. Urinary Microtubule-Associated Protein Light Chain3 and Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, as Potential Noninvasive Biomarkers for Subclinical Rejection at 3 Months after Kidney Transplantation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2019; 19 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/urinary-microtubule-associated-protein-light-chain3-and-neutrophil-gelatinase-associated-lipocalin-as-potential-noninvasive-biomarkers-for-subclinical-rejection-at-3-months-after-kidney-transplantati/. Accessed May 17, 2025.

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