Nuclear matrix protein 22 levels in patients with renal transplantation

BACKGROUND: Nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) is a parameter of cell death including apoptosis. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of NMP22 as a marker for rejection after renal transplantation, we measured serum and urinary NMP22. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We measured the concentrations of serum NMP22 by Konica-Matritech NMP22 kit, and CD3, 4, 8 which are surface markers of lymphocyte, in 11 patients with renal transplantation. The patients consisted of 10 males and 1 females whose serum creatinine ranged 1.0 to 2.7 mg/dl. Additionally, 9 healthy adults were employed as control subjects. And serum and urinary NMP22 were measured after transplantation sequentially in 5 of the patients. RESULTS: 1) In the patients, serum NMP22 values were higher than those in control subjects, statistically (p < 0.01). 2) There were not significant correlations between serum NMP22 and CD3, 4, 8, 3) At the periods of acute tubular necrosis and acute rejection, serum NMP22 values were higher than those at the stable periods. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that serum NMP22 is useful parameter of rejection in renal transplantation patients.