Supplementary Material for: Changing Protein Permeability with Nephron Loss: Evidence for a Human Remnant Nephron Effect

Background: If loss of functioning nephrons predisposes to glomerular barotrauma (a “remnant nephron” effect), then glomerular permeability should increase as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) falls, as is observed in animal models of nephron loss. Methods: Changes in net renal protein permeability, defined as proteinuria or albuminuria per mL/min of GFR, were measured in the setting of nephron loss due to kidney donation (Assessing Long Term Outcomes in Living Kidney Donors cohort) or progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD; Modification of Diet in Renal Disease [MDRD], African American Study of Kidney Disease [AASK], and Chronic Renal insufficiency Cohort [CRIC] studies). Results: Following kidney donation, renal albumin permeability increased by 31% from predonation levels (p p Conclusion: Nephron loss is accompanied by an increase in renal protein permeability, even in the absence of a primary glomerular disease. This is consistent with a remnant nephron effect in human CKD.