Urinary Neuropilin-1: A Predictive Biomarker for Renal Outcome in Lupus Nephritis

• Main Authors: Maria Teresa Torres-Salido, Mireia Sanchis, Cristina Solé, Teresa Moliné, Marta Vidal, Xavier Vidal, Anna Solà, Georgina Hotter, Josep Ordi-Ros, Josefina Cortés-Hernández
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: neuropilin-1; lupus nephritis; urinary biomarker; clinical responder; renal biopsy
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/18/4601

At present, Lupus Nephritis (LN) is still awaiting a biomarker to better monitor disease activity, guide clinical treatment, and predict a patient’s long-term outcome. In the last decade, novel biomarkers have been identified to monitor the disease, but none have been incorporated into clinical practice. The transmembrane receptor neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) is highly expressed by mesangial cells and its genetic deletion results in proteinuric disease and glomerulosclerosis. NRP-1 is increased in kidney biopsies of LN. In this work we were interested in determining whether urinary NRP-1 levels could be a biomarker of clinical response in LN. Our results show that patients with active LN have increased levels of urinary NRP-1. When patients were divided according to clinical response, responders displayed higher urinary and tissue NRP-1 levels at the time of renal biopsy. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve, comparing baseline creatinine, proteinuria, urinary NRP-1, and VEGFA protein levels, showed NRP-1 to be an independent predictor for clinical response. In addition, in vitro studies suggest that NRP-1could promote renal recovery through endothelial proliferation and migration, mesangial migration and local T cell cytotoxicity. Based on these results, NRP-1 may be used as an early prognostic biomarker in LN.