Soluble Urokinase Receptor and Acute Kidney Injury

This multicenter study investigated whether elevated levels of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predispose patients to acute kidney injury (AKI) across diverse clinical contexts coronary angiography, cardiac surgery, and critical illness. Among 4,769 patients, high suPAR levels were consistently associated with increased risk of AKI and AKI-related death within 90 days. In experimental models, suPAR-overexpressing mice exposed to contrast material developed more severe AKI than controls. Human proximal tubular cells exposed to suPAR showed heightened mitochondrial respiration and reactive oxygen species production, suggesting increased metabolic stress. Treatment with a uPAR-targeting monoclonal antibody attenuated AKI in both mice and cell models. The study concludes that suPAR is both a predictive biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in AKI.

This multicenter study investigated whether elevated levels of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predispose patients to acute kidney injury (AKI) across diverse clinical contexts coronary angiography, cardiac surgery, and critical illness. Among 4,769 patients, high suPAR levels were consistently associated with increased risk of AKI and AKI-related death within 90 days. In experimental models, suPAR-overexpressing mice exposed to contrast material developed more severe AKI than controls. Human proximal tubular cells exposed to suPAR showed heightened mitochondrial respiration and reactive oxygen species production, suggesting increased metabolic stress. Treatment with a uPAR-targeting monoclonal antibody attenuated AKI in both mice and cell models. The study concludes that suPAR is both a predictive biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in AKI.