Urinary Nephrin and Podocalyxin Levels as Predictors of Pre-eclampsia in High-Risk Pregnant Women

Introduction: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is characterized by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria. Damage of podocyte cells has been reported in pre-eclamptic women, thus podocyte specific proteins such as nephrin and podocalyxin could be useful biomarkers in PE.Aim: To investigate the role of urinary nephrin (u-nephrin) and urinary podocalyxin (u-PDX) levels in predicting PE in women with a high-risk pregnancy.Materials and methods: We included 101 pregnant women in this study and allocated them into three groups: group 1 included pregnant women at high risk of developing PE (n=41), group 2 - pregnant women with PE (n=30), and group 3 was the controls including healthy pregnant women (n=30). The inclusion criteria for women with PE were de novo hypertension >140/90 mm Hg, proteinuria >300 mg/24 hours, and presence of edema after 20 weeks of gestation, while the exclusion criteria were a history of renal diseases and pregnant women younger than 18. Inclusion criteria for the group of women with a high-risk pregnancy was gestational week >15, a history of PE in a previous pregnancy, pre-existing diabetes type 1 or 2, pre-existing hypertension, multiple gestations, prior placental abruption, obesity women, nulliparity, maternal age >35 years, and a family history of PE. The study was conducted from March 2016 to May 2017 in the Medical Faculty at the Institute of Medical and Experimental Biochemistry in Skopje. Urine samples were used to measure the nephrin and podocalyxin levels using immunoenzyme assay, creatinine and microalbumin. Blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses.Results: U-nephrin levels were elevated in 96.7% of women with PE, and 73% of women with a high-risk pregnancy. U-PDX levels were elevated in 63% of the women with PE and 100% of the women with a high-risk pregnancy. U-nephrin and u-PDX levels were significantly increased in women with a high-risk pregnancy and women with PE compared with a control group (p<0.001). A significant difference was found between the subgroups of pregnant women classified according to gestational age in their u-nephrin and u-PDX levels. There was a significant positive correlation between the levels of both markers and glomerular filtration rate, and significant negative correlation between the levels of both markers and gestational age. ROC analysis revealed that the cut-off value of 304.6 ng/ml of u-nephrin had a sensitivity (Se) of 96.7%, specificity (Sp) of 96.7% (for both Se and Sp 95% confidence interval (CI) 82.8-99.9), while the cut-off value of 59.5 ng/ml of u-PDX had a sensitivity of 100% and Sp of 93.3% (Se - 95% CI 88.4-100, Sp - 95% CI 77.9-99.2), in distinguishing women with PE and healthy pregnancies. Both markers showed excellent clinical utility (CUI≥0.81), for u-nephrin (CUI+ and CUI− is 0.934), for u-PDX (CUI+ is 0.938; CUI− is 0.933).Conclusions: U-nephrin and U-PDX levels could be useful as predictors of PE in women with a high-risk pregnancy

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein, low density lipoprotein particle size and intima media thickness in patients with coronary heart disease

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a key role in reverse cholesterol transport and high density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism. Predominance of small, dense LDL particles is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the study was to determine the potential relationship between the CETP concentration and low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and their association with intima media thickness (IMT) in patients with CHD. Lipid parameters, CETP concentration and LDL particle size were determined in 100 healthy subjects (control group) and in 100 patients with CHD, aged 43 to 77 years. Plasma CETP concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay with two different monoclonal antibodies. LDL subclasses were separated by nondenaturing polyacrilamide 3-31% gradient gel electrophoresis. CETP concentration was higher in patients compared to controls (2.02 ± 0.75 mg/ml vs. 1.74 ± 0.63 mg/ml, p<0.01). Mean LDL particle size (nm) was significantly smaller in patients than in controls (24.5 ± 1.1 vs. 26.1 ± 0.9; p<0.001). There was no relation between LDL particle size and CETP concentration (r=-0.1807, p=0.072). Age, diastolic blood pressure, CETP concentration and LDL particle size were independent factors for determing IMT by multiple linear regression analysis. They accounted for 35.2 % of the observed variability in IMT. CETP is not an independent contributor of LDL particle size. CETP might play a role in determining lipoprotein distributions, but did not seem to be the sole factor in the formation of small LDL particles

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein, low density lipoprotein particle size and intima media thickness in patients with coronary heart disease

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a key role in reverse cholesterol transport and high density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism. Predominance of small, dense LDL particles is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of the study was to determine the potential relationship between the CETP concentration and low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size and their association with intima media thickness (IMT) in patients with CHD. Lipid parameters, CETP concentration and LDL particle size were determined in 100 healthy subjects (control group) and in 100 patients with CHD, aged 43 to 77 years. Plasma CETP concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay with two different monoclonal antibodies. LDL subclasses were separated by nondenaturing polyacrilamide 3-31% gradient gel electrophoresis. CETP concentration was higher in patients compared to controls (2.02 ± 0.75 mg/ml vs. 1.74 ± 0.63 mg/ml, p<0.01). Mean LDL particle size (nm) was significantly smaller in patients than in controls (24.5 ± 1.1 vs. 26.1 ± 0.9; p<0.001). There was no relation between LDL particle size and CETP concentration (r=-0.1807, p=0.072). Age, diastolic blood pressure, CETP concentration and LDL particle size were independent factors for determing IMT by multiple linear regression analysis. They accounted for 35.2 % of the observed variability in IMT. CETP is not an independent contributor of LDL particle size. CETP might play a role in determining lipoprotein distributions, but did not seem to be the sole factor in the formation of small LDL particles

Role of urinary podocalyxin in early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy

Introduction. Podocyte injury has been reported as an early feature of DN therefore, the assessment of podocyte injury can be accomplished by estimation of podocalyxin in urine. This study aimed to estimate the urinary podocalyxin levels and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this biomarker for early detection of DN