Proteomic characterization of obesity-related nephropathy

BackgroundNephropathy related to obesity lacks a pathophysiological understanding and definite diagnostic pathways by biomarkers.MethodsIn this study we investigated the association between urinary peptides and body mass index (BMI) and renal function in proteome data sets from 4015 individuals.ResultsA total of 365 urinary peptides were identified to be significantly associated with BMI. The majority of these peptides were collagen fragments. In addition, most of the peptides also demonstrated a significant concordant association with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the investigated cohort, with the presence of diabetes exhibiting no significant association. A new classifier was developed, based on 150 urinary peptides, that enabled the distinction of non-obese subjects with preserved kidney function from obese, non-diabetic subjects with eGFR >45 mL/min/1.73 m2 in an independent cohort, with an area under the curve of 0.93.ConclusionsOn a molecular level, the data strongly suggest a link between obesity and fibrosis, which may be a major cause of obesity-related nephropathy.