Progression mechanism and usefulness of urinary podocyte mRNA excretions in obesity related nephropathy

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K16983
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52010:General internal medicine-related
• Research Institution: Oita University
• Principal Investigator: Fukuda Akihiro 大分大学, 医学部, 助教 (30628889)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ポドサイト / 肥満関連腎症 / バイオマーカー / 糖尿病性腎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the usefulness of urinary sediment podocyte mRNA excretion in obesity-related nephropathy. The obese rats showed significantly increased glomerular volume and decreased podocyte density over time compared to controls, suggesting that podocyte damage could be associated with the development of obesity-related nephropathy. Furthermore, in clinical cases, the urinary sediment podocyte mRNA excretion was no significant increase in severe obese group compared with the control group, but there was a trend toward an increase in the eGFR > 100 group compared to the 60 < eGFR < 100 group, suggesting that this marker is associated with glomerular hyperfiltration in obesity-related nephropathy. These results suggest that the marker could be detect glomerular hyperfiltration in obesity-related nephropathy earlier than albuminuria.

Free Research Field

腎臓内科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肥満症や糖尿病などの生活習慣病患者は増え続けており、患者の生活の質(QOL)維持や医療経済上も深刻な問題となっている。肥満症は糖尿病発症の危険因子となるだけではなく、蛋白尿や慢性腎臓病発症に対する有意な危険因子であることが報告されている。
本研究により尿沈渣中ポドサイトマーカーが微量アルブミン尿より精度が高く早期及び疾患活動性を反映する肥満関連腎症のバイオマーカーであることが確立できれば、糖尿病性腎症や肥満関連腎症の早期発見のみならず病勢の評価にも有用であり、QOL維持や透析導入患者の減少という観点から医療経済上も非常に重要な研究と考える。