#AI Reads Urine# Urinary Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 4 as a Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Target for Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Glomerulonephritis

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody - associated glomerulonephritis (ANCA - GN) is a type of kidney - related autoimmune disease. People with this disease are at a high risk of dying or developing end - stage kidney disease. Currently, there is a lack of effective and non - invasive ways to identify the disease early.

Fatty acid - binding protein 4 (FABP4) is a protein. It has been found to play a role in many inflammatory and immune diseases. However, its role in ANCA - GN was not clear before this study.

In this research, the scientists collected plasma, urine samples, and kidney biopsy specimens from patients with ANCA - GN. They also collected samples from healthy people and patients with diabetic kidney disease as controls. They measured the levels of FABP4 in these samples. The results showed that the levels of FABP4 in the plasma and urine of patients with active ANCA - GN were much higher than those of normal controls. Also, the expression of FABP4 in the kidneys of ANCA - GN patients was higher compared to normal kidneys.

The researchers further analyzed the relationship between FABP4 levels and various clinical and pathological parameters. They found that the level of urinary FABP4 was related to many factors, such as serum creatinine, urinary albumin, blood neutrophil ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. It was also related to the proportion of crescents in the kidneys and the all - cause death of ANCA - GN patients.

To better understand the role of FABP4 in ANCA - GN, the scientists used a rat model of experimental autoimmune vasculitis. They gave the rats an FABP4 inhibitor called BMS309403. The results showed that this inhibitor could reduce kidney injury in the rats.

In conclusion, urinary FABP4 levels might be able to show the disease activity and how much the kidneys are affected in ANCA - associated vasculitis. FABP4 could potentially be a new target for treating ANCA - GN. But the study also had some limitations. It was a single - cohort study with a relatively small sample size. So, more research with larger samples and multiple centers is needed in the future.

Kidney Dis DOI: 10.1159/000543940

Youhe Gao

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