Identification of Transcripts Associated with Renal Damage Due to Ureteral Obstruction as Candidate Urinary Biomarkers

Renal obstruction is a common cause of renal failure in adults and children and is suspected when hydronephrosis is detected on imaging. Since not all cases of hydronephrosis are associated with renal damage, biomarkers are needed to guide intervention to relieve obstruction. We performed gene expression profiling on the kidneys from adult mice over a detailed time course after obstruction and compared these data to a neonatal model of bilateral high grade obstruction induced by conditional deletion of the calcineurin ß1 (Cnb1) gene. Using a model of short term (non-damaging) and long term (damaging) temporary obstruction, we identified which of the transcripts common to the adult and neonatal models were induced early and associated with renal damage. Using QPCR, elevated levels of several candidate RNA biomarkers of renal damage were detected in urine from obstructed mice and children undergoing surgery for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below. Refer to individual Series