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NCT Number: NCT01531257

Proteogenomic Monitoring and Assessment of Kidney Transplant Recipients

Chronic Allograft Nephropathy (CAN)/Interstitial fibrosis and Tubular Atrophy (IFTA) is responsible for most kidney transplant failures. CAN/IFTA on a 3 month kidney biopsy strongly predicts graft survival long term. CAN/IFTA remains a vexing problem for clinicians because current monitoring tools, namely the serum creatinine concentration, are not sensitive to early changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or to histologic damage.

Despite advances in prevention of acute rejection (AR), it is still a significant and potentially devastating complication of solid organ transplantation. One strategy to reduce the risk of rejection is to perform kidney biopsies to detect subclinical acute rejection (SCAR) and treat to prevent progression to rejection. There is evidence that treating SCAR can prevent further immune mediated injury to the kidney, a precursor to CAN/IFTA.

Kidney biopsies provide better information but are limited due to safety concerns, patient preference and cost issues. Better, early and less invasive markers of CAN/IFTA will allow early intervention as well as improved graft and better patient outcomes.

This study seeks to validate specific proteogenomic biomarker panels for AR and CAN/IFTA in a prospective blood, urine and kidney tissue monitoring study of kidney transplant recipients who will be scheduled for standard of care biopsies.

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Key information

Conditions

Acute Rejection (AR) of Transplanted Kidney Chronic Allograft Nephropathy (CAN) Fibrosis Interstitial Fibrosis (IF) Lung Diseases Lung Diseases, Interstitial Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pulmonary Fibrosis Respiratory Tract Diseases Tubular Atrophy (TA)

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Martha Castellini, BA

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sook H Park, MD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

About this study

This is a single-center sample study. A total number of 1000 subjects will be consented and enrolled at Northwestern University Transplant clinic at the time of kidney biopsy. At our clinic, protocol biopsy may be performed at 3 months, 12 months , 24 months or any other time the doctor feels necessary post transplant in all kidney recipients. Kidney transplant recipients may also go under "for cause" biopsy procedure at any time point before/after or in between these protocol biopsy time points. Such causes of biopsy include increase in serum creatinine level, decrease in urine output, and/or pain at graft site.

Full blood tube set, urine sample for proteomics and flow cytometry of urinary sediment, and an extra core kidney biopsy tissue for gene expression profiling will be collected from subjects at the time of any biopsies obtained during the study course. These specimen samples will be sent to Rules-Based Medicine (RBM) for proteomic analysis. Whole genome expression profiling will be done using Affymetrix GeneChips at The Scripps Research Institute.

We estimate that we will find at least 500 subjects with diagnostic CAN/IFTA histology (Banff 1-2) between the 3 months and 12 months post transplant protocol biopsies based on a 50% incidence in the literature and our own experience. We also estimate that there will be 10% (10 subjects) incidence of clinical rejection by the end of 12 months identified initially by an acute rise in the serum creatinine and confirmed by a biopsy. Lastly, we estimate a 10% (10 subjects) incidence of subclinical acute rejection with stable renal function detected by the protocol kidney biopsies.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Male and female recipients of all races, ≥18 years of age.
Patients undergoing primary or subsequent deceased-donor or living donor kidney transplantation.
Subject and/or guardian must be able to provide informed consent.
Subject and/or guardian must be able to comply with the study protocol.

Exclusion criteria

Need for combined organ transplantation with an extra-renal organ and/or islet cell transplant.
Recipients of previous non-renal solid organ and/or islet cell transplantation.
Infection with HIV.
Inability or unwillingness of a participant and/or guardian to provide informed consent

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Gene Expression Profiling

Time frame: At time of any protocol or for-cause kidney biopsy, up to 10 years post transplant.

Full blood tube set, urine sample for proteomics and flow cytometry of urinary sediment, and an extra core kidney biopsy tissue for gene expression profiling will be collected from subjects at the time of any biopsies obtained during the study course. Whole genome expression profiling will be done using Affymetrix GeneChips at The Scripps Research Institute.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Martha Castellini, BA

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Northwestern University

Other

Collaborators

Transplant Genomics, Inc.

Registry information

Acronym: Mini-Kidney

Important dates

Study start: 2010
Primary completion: 2027
Study completion: 2027
First posted: Feb 10, 2012
Registry last updated: May 5, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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