FOCUS has introduced three urinary biomarkers for detection and monitoring of renal injury:

Tuesday, 25. March 2008

Alpha Glutathione S-Transferase (alpha-GST), Phi Glutathione S-Transferase (phi-GST), and Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin (NGAL).

alpha-GST is a cystolic protein highly specific for the cells of the proximal renal tubules. There it is found in high concentrations and is readily released into the urine in the event of renal tubular injury. Urinary alpha-GST is a highly sensitive and specific biomarker of proximal tubular injury.

phi-GST is specific for cells of the distal tubules, where it is found in high concentrations. It is readily released from injured cells into the urine. Urinary phi-GST is a specific marker of distal tubule injury. To view the GSTs fact sheet click here.

NGAL (also know as lipocalin-2) is a small protein found not only in neutrophils but also in certain epithelia, such as renal tubules, where its expression is dramatically increased in ischemic or nephrotoxic injury. NGAL levels rise in urine and blood within two hours of renal injury making NGAL an early, sensitive and non-invasive biomarker for acute renal in jury. To view the NGAL fact sheet click here.

These urinary biomarkers are more sensitive indicators of renal injury than serum creatinine, and they provide information as to the site and kinetics of renal injury.

Recently, the current status of biomarkers for diagnosis and risk stratification of acute kidney injury and for monitoring kidney safety in drug development has been reviewed by Coca and colleagues and by Dieterle and colleagues.

FOCUS Biomarker offers these biomarkers to enhance nephro-toxicity studies in the development of novel therapies. For further information, please contact us at biomarker [at] focus-cdd.de or contact directly our Head of Immunology and Biomarker Laboratory Dr. Eddy Bruyns via eddy.bruyns [at] focus-cdd.com.

<- Back to: News