Soluble Klotho levels in adult renal transplant recipients are modulated by recombinant human erythropoietin

The Value of Klotho in Kidney Transplantation

Kidney transplant recipients have better survival rates and improved quality of life than long-term dialysis patients. However, delayed graft function, immunosuppressive therapy nephrotoxicity, and rejection episodes may compromise graft and patient survival. The KL gene is highly expressed in kidney tubular cells and encodes the antiaging and kidney-protective protein Klotho, which has membrane-anchored and soluble forms and regulates mineral metabolism. Klotho expression decreases during acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease, and human chronic kidney disease shares features of accelerated aging with murine Klotho deficiency. In this work, we review clinical studies on the relationship between Klotho and kidney transplantation. Specifically, we address the dynamics of serum and kidney Klotho levels in donors and kidney transplant recipients, the role of Klotho as a marker of current graft function and graft outcomes, and the potential impact of Klotho on kidney protection in the transplantation context. A better understanding of the potential biomarker and therapeutic utility of Klotho in kidney transplant recipients may provide new insights into the control of graft function and new therapeutic strategies to preserve allograft function.

Cardiovascular Risk after Kidney Transplantation: Causes and Current Approaches to a Relevant Burden

Background. Cardiovascular disease is a frequent complication after kidney transplantation and represents the leading cause of mortality in this population. Material and Methods. We searched for the relevant articles in the National Institutes of Health library of medicine, transplant, cardiologic and nephrological journals. Results. The pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in kidney transplant is multifactorial. Apart from non-modifiable risk factors, such as age, gender, genetic predisposition and ethnicity, several traditional and non-traditional modifiable risk factors contribute to its development. Traditional factors, such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia, may be present before and may worsen after transplantation. Immunosuppressants and impaired graft function may strongly influence the exacerbation of these comorbidities. However, in the last years, several studies showed that many other cardiovascular risk factors may be involved in kidney transplantation, including hyperuricemia, inflammation, low klotho and elevated Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 levels, deficient levels of vitamin D, vascular calcifications, anemia and poor physical activity and quality of life. Conclusions. The timely and effective treatment of time-honored and recently discovered modifiable risk factors represent the basis of the prevention of cardiovascular complications in kidney transplantation. Reduction of cardiovascular risk can improve the life expectancy, the quality of life and the allograft function and survival.

Post-kidney transplant soluble Klotho levels are determined by pretransplant soluble Klotho levels in both living donors and recipients

BACKGROUND

Soluble Klotho (sKl), the free form of membrane-bound Klotho predominantly expressed in the kidney, is detectable in serum and may have multiple pleiotropic effects. Patients with end-stage kidney disease are possibly sKl deficient, and kidney transplantation is the treatment of choice in these patients; however, little is known about changes in posttransplant sKl level and the factors influencing these changes.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective longitudinal study to examine changes in posttransplant sKl level in recipients for 12 months after living-donor kidney transplantation and analyzed correlations between posttransplant changes in sKl levels and various influencing factors in both recipients and donors.

RESULTS

29 kidney transplant recipients and their living donors were included for analysis. The results showed that sKl levels transiently decreased at 1 week posttransplant but progressively increased thereafter for 12 months. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that body surface area-adjusted donor sKl levels were associated with posttransplant increases in recipient sKl levels at 12 months. In addition, pretransplant recipient sKl levels and body surface area-adjusted donor sKl levels were identified as an independent predictor of 12-month posttransplant sKl levels.

CONCLUSION

Pretransplant sKl levels in both kidney recipients and living donors are a strong determinant of sKl levels after kidney transplantation.

Trade‐offs between male fertility reduction and selected growth factors or the klotho response in a lipopolysaccharide-dependent mouse model

The increasing number of depression cases leads to a greater need for new antidepressant treatment development. It is postulated that antidepressants may harm male fertility, but the cellular mechanism is still poorly understood. The role of growth factors and klotho protein in maintaining normal male reproductive function is well documented. Hence, the study aimed to investigate the effect of the antidepressant drug – imipramine (tricyclic AD), and other substances with antidepressant potential (ALS), administered in combination or in combination with LPS (an animal model of depression) on gene expression and protein synthesis of IGF-2 (insulin-like growth factor 2), TGF-β1 (transforming growth factor β1), NGF (nerve growth factor), KGF (keratinocyte growth factor) and protein synthesis of VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor A), IGF-IR (insulin-like growth factor receptor 1), EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and klotho in the testis of mice. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with selected ALS and LPS or 10% DMSO (controls) (n = 7/group) once a day for 14 days. Animals were decapitated and testes collected for RNA and protein purification. PCR and western blot methods were employed for the evaluation of growth factors and klotho expression. The results obtained indicated a decreased level of most of the analyzed genes and proteins, except KGF; its expression increased after treatment with MTEP and IMI administrated individually and after NS-398, and IMI in combination with LPS. Our results may suggest that the tested ALS and LPS can contribute to a reduction of male fertility, but NS-398, IMI, and IMI+NS-398 may also act as stimulants after LPS.

Uremic Toxins, Oxidative Stress, Atherosclerosis in Chronic Kidney Disease, and Kidney Transplantation

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and approximately half of all deaths among patients with CKD are a direct result of CVD. The premature cardiovascular disease extends from mild to moderate CKD stages, and the severity of CVD and the risk of death increase with a decline in kidney function. Successful kidney transplantation significantly decreases the risk of death relative to long-term dialysis treatment; nevertheless, the prevalence of CVD remains high and is responsible for approximately 20-35% of mortality in renal transplant recipients. The prevalence of traditional and nontraditional risk factors for CVD is higher in patients with CKD and transplant recipients compared with the general population; however, it can only partly explain the highly increased cardiovascular burden in CKD patients. Nontraditional risk factors, unique to CKD patients, include proteinuria, disturbed calcium, and phosphate metabolism, anemia, fluid overload, and accumulation of uremic toxins. This accumulation of uremic toxins is associated with systemic alterations including inflammation and oxidative stress which are considered crucial in CKD progression and CKD-related CVD. Kidney transplantation can mitigate the impact of some of these nontraditional factors, but they typically persist to some degree following transplantation. Taking into consideration the scarcity of data on uremic waste products, oxidative stress, and their relation to atherosclerosis in renal transplantation, in the review, we discussed the impact of uremic toxins on vascular dysfunction in CKD patients and kidney transplant recipients. Special attention was paid to the role of native and transplanted kidney function.

A Land of Controversy: Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 and Uremic Cardiac Hypertrophy

Cardiac hypertrophy is a common feature in patients with CKD. Recent studies revealed that two phosphate regulators, fibroblast growth factor-23 and α-Klotho, are highly involved in the pathophysiologic process of CKD-induced cardiac hypertrophy. With decreasing renal function, elevated fibroblast growth factor-23 and decreased α-Klotho may contribute to cardiac hypertrophy by targeting the heart directly or by inducing systemic changes, such as vascular injury, hemodynamic disorders, and inflammation. However, several studies have demonstrated that disturbances in the fibroblast growth factor-23/α-Klotho axis do not lead to cardiac hypertrophy. In this review, we describe the cardiac effects of the fibroblast growth factor-23/α-Klotho axis and summarize recent progress in this field. In addition, we present not only the main controversies in this field but also provide possible directions to resolve these disputes.

Klotho as a potential predictor of deceased donor kidney transplantation outcomes

Purpose

Klotho is an antiaging factor mainly produced by renal tubular cells. Klotho is reportedly decreased in an animal model of acute kidney injury and patients with chronic kidney disease. However, information on Klotho expression after kidney transplantation is limited. We analyzed the correlation between donor Klotho expression and clinical outcomes of kidney transplantation.

Methods

Sixty patients who underwent deceased donor kidney transplantation between March 2015 and October 2017 were enrolled. Serum and tissue Klotho expression levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Graft function was assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Results

Patients were divided into 2 groups according to donor Klotho expression in renal tissues. A greater improvement in eGFR was observed at 1 week after transplantation in patients receiving kidneys with higher Klotho expression (47.5 ± 21.9 mL/min/1.73 m²vs. 63.9 ± 28.2 mL/min/1.73 m², P = 0.030). Patients were also classified into 2 groups according to donor serum Klotho level. There was a tendency for a higher eGFR at 12 months after transplantation in patients receiving kidneys from donors with a higher Klotho level (51.0 ± 18.0 mL/min/1.73 m²vs. 61.2 ± 16.5 mL/min/1.73 m², P = 0.059). When subgrouped into patients with or without biopsy-proven acute rejection, 12-month eGFR remained higher in patients receiving kidneys from donors with higher serum Klotho.

Conclusion

Our data demonstrated that donor tissue expression of Klotho correlated with early recovery of eGFR after kidney transplantation. Donor serum Klotho level tended to be associated with posttransplant 12-month eGFR. Donor Klotho expression might be a new predictor for deceased donor kidney transplantation outcome.

Serum Klotho in Living Kidney Donors and Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Meta-Analysis

α-Klotho is a known anti-aging protein that exerts diverse physiological effects, including phosphate homeostasis. Klotho expression occurs predominantly in the kidney and is significantly decreased in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, changes in serum klotho levels and impacts of klotho on outcomes among kidney transplant (KTx) recipients and kidney donors remain unclear. A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database from inception through October 2019 to identify studies evaluating serum klotho levels and impacts of klotho on outcomes among KTx recipients and kidney donors. Study results were pooled and analyzed utilizing a random-effects model. Ten cohort studies with a total of 431 KTx recipients and 5 cohort studies with a total of 108 living kidney donors and were identified. After KTx, recipients had a significant increase in serum klotho levels (at 4 to 13 months post-KTx) with a mean difference (MD) of 243.11 pg/mL (three studies; 95% CI 67.41 to 418.81 pg/mL). Although KTx recipients had a lower serum klotho level with a MD of = -234.50 pg/mL (five studies; 95% CI -444.84 to -24.16 pg/mL) compared to healthy unmatched volunteers, one study demonstrated comparable klotho levels between KTx recipients and eGFR-matched controls. Among kidney donors, there was a significant decrease in serum klotho levels post-nephrectomy (day 3 to day 5) with a mean difference (MD) of -232.24 pg/mL (three studies; 95% CI -299.41 to -165.07 pg/mL). At one year following kidney donation, serum klotho levels remained lower than baseline before nephrectomy with a MD of = -110.80 pg/mL (two studies; 95% CI 166.35 to 55.24 pg/mL). Compared to healthy volunteers, living kidney donors had lower serum klotho levels with a MD of = -92.41 pg/mL (two studies; 95% CI -180.53 to -4.29 pg/mL). There is a significant reduction in serum klotho levels after living kidney donation and an increase in serum klotho levels after KTx. Future prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of changes in klotho on clinical outcomes in KTx recipients and living kidney donors.

Evolving concepts in the pathogenesis of uraemic cardiomyopathy

The term uraemic cardiomyopathy refers to the cardiac abnormalities that are seen in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Historically, this term was used to describe a severe cardiomyopathy that was associated with end-stage renal disease and characterized by severe functional abnormalities that could be reversed following renal transplantation. In a modern context, uraemic cardiomyopathy describes the clinical phenotype of cardiac disease that accompanies CKD and is perhaps best characterized as diastolic dysfunction seen in conjunction with left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis. A multitude of factors may contribute to the pathogenesis of uraemic cardiomyopathy, and current treatments only modestly improve outcomes. In this Review, we focus on evolving concepts regarding the roles of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), inflammation and systemic oxidant stress and their interactions with more established mechanisms such as pressure and volume overload resulting from hypertension and anaemia, respectively, activation of the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems, activation of the transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) pathway, abnormal mineral metabolism and increased levels of endogenous cardiotonic steroids.

Association of klotho gene polymorphism and the regulation of calcium-phosphate metabolism disorders in patients with end-stage renal disease

BACKGROUND

Klotho G-395-A gene polymorphism is associated with several diseases; however, its association with calcium-phosphate metabolism disorders in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is unknown.

METHODS

A total of 137 patients with ESRD and 80 healthy adults (control) were enrolled in the study. Patients with ESRD were divided into three subgroups: haemodialysis (A1, n = 52), peritoneal dialysis (A2, n = 30), and non-dialysis (A3, n = 55). The klotho G-395-A genotype was detected by TaqMan PCR assay, and ELISA was used to detect the soluble klotho protein (sKL) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF23). Intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and other related clinical biochemical parameters were also analyzed for all subjects.

RESULTS

(i) Three genotypes (GG, GA and AA) of KL G-395A were detected, and a significant difference between the ESRD and control groups was observed, (ii) sKL was inversely associated with FGF23 in each subgroup and phosphate and positively associated with calcium in A1 and A3. FGF23 was positively associated with phosphate and inversely associated with calcium in each subgroup, (iii) a statistical difference in levels of sKL and FGF23 was observed between GG and AA, as well as between GA and AA. The expression of sKL was lowest and the level of FGF23 was highest in AA and (iv). GA + AA genotypes and FGF23 were risk factors and sKL might be protective factor of calcium-phosphate metabolism disorders.

CONCLUSION

Soluble klotho protein and FGF23 were associated with the regulation of calcium and phosphate metabolism, and the A allele of the G-395A klotho gene polymorphism could be a risk factor on calcium-phosphate metabolism disorders in patients with ESRD.

Klotho: A Promising Biomarker Closely Related to Kidney Transplant

Organ shortage has long been an obstacle to transplant procedures. As acceptance of aging kidneys from expanded criteria donors increases, the long-term outcomes of renal allografts could be unsatisfactory. The klotho gene, which is known as an antiaging gene that is highly expressed in kidneys, is closely associated with chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury. Results from existing literature have shown a tendency to support Klotho as a renal protective protein owing to its pleiotropic effects. However, few data are available on Klotho in renal transplant. Whether Klotho serves the same purposes in the renal allograft is still a matter of controversy. This review summarizes new findings from clinical and animal studies reflecting associations between Klotho and renal transplant. A better understanding of the potential effects of Klotho on renal transplant may offer novel insights into ameliorating renal allograft injury.

The role of fibroblast growth factor 23 and Klotho in uremic cardiomyopathy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In chronic kidney disease (CKD), multiple factors contribute to the development of cardiac hypertrophy by directly targeting the heart or indirectly by inducing systemic changes such as hypertension, anemia, and inflammation. Furthermore, disturbances in phosphate metabolism have been identified as nonclassical risk factors for cardiovascular mortality in these patients. With declining kidney function, the physiologic regulators of phosphate homeostasis undergo changes in their activity as well as their circulating levels, thus potentially contributing to cardiac hypertrophy once they are out of balance. Recently, two of these phosphate regulators, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and Klotho, have been shown to affect cardiac remodeling, thereby unveiling a novel pathomechanism of cardiac hypertrophy in CKD. Here we discuss the potential direct versus indirect effects of FGF23 and the soluble form of Klotho on the heart, and their crosstalk in the regulation of cardiac hypertrophy.

RECENT FINDINGS

In models of CKD, FGF23 can directly target cardiac myocytes via FGF receptor 4 and induce cardiac hypertrophy in a blood pressure-independent manner. Soluble Klotho may directly target the heart via an unknown receptor thereby protecting the myocardium from pathologic stress stimuli that are associated with CKD, such as uremic toxins or FGF23.

SUMMARY

Elevated serum levels of FGF23 and reduced serum levels of soluble Klotho contribute to uremic cardiomyopathy in a synergistic manner.

Mineral adaptations following kidney transplantation

Klotho is predominantly expressed in the kidney and reported to have antioxidant and antifibrotic properties. Soluble Klotho (sKl), the circulating protein cleaved from membrane-bound Klotho, is reduced significantly with kidney disease and inversely associated with mortality. sKl has not been thoroughly evaluated prospectively after kidney transplantation. Incident kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) were prospectively evaluated pretransplantation, 1, 12 and 52 weeks post-transplantation. Basic biochemistry, sKl and intact FGF23 were measured. Within-subject comparisons were evaluated using repeat-measure anova or Friedman's analysis. Effects of immunosuppression and biochemical parameters on sKl and FGF-23 over time were analysed using mixed-effects modelling. Median serum creatinine (sCr) at 1 week was 116 (92-142) μmol/l, and at 52 weeks, all 29 KTRs had a functioning graft with median sCr of 111 (97-131) μmol/l. Compared with baseline, sKl was increased at 52 weeks following an initial decline at 1 week (P < 0.005 and P < 0.01, respectively), while FGF23 was considerably reduced at 52 weeks (P < 0.001). In a mixed-effects model, an increased sKl was not associated with reduction in immunosuppression or evaluated biochemical parameters. Modest increase in sKl is observed one-year postkidney transplantation with excellent early graft function suggesting factors beyond renal capacity may influence circulating sKl. FGF23 normalization was observed. Longer term evaluation in transplantation, specifically addressing the effects of immunosuppression, is required to understand the pathophysiology of the sKl/FGF23 axis and potential for modification.

Serum klotho: relation to fibroblast growth factor-23 and other regulators of phosphate metabolism in children with chronic kidney disease

FGF23 and Klotho synergize to regulate phosphate homeostasis by promoting renal phosphate excretion. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be viewed as a state of FGF23 resistance caused by Klotho deficiency. This viewpoint explains several observations on phosphate metabolism in CKD that lack mechanistic insights. Our objectives were to correlate serum klotho and FGF-23 with other variables that regulate phosphate metabolism. We studied 40 patients with CKD on conservative treatment (group A), 44 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on regular hemodialysis (group B), 40 kidney transplant recipients (KTR) (group C) and 40 healthy controls for measuring serum klotho and FGF-23. Blood samples were withdrawn for measuring the levels of serum Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 1,25 (OH)2 D3, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), FGF-23 and α klotho. The mean levels of FGF-23 and α klotho in control group were 225.78 ± 111.05 pg/ml (range: 102.4, 418.5) and 6.78 ± 1.90 ng/ml (range: 4, 11), respectively. The mean levels of FGF-23 in the 3 studied groups were 1,034.2 ± 84.6, 1,288.7 ± 131.4 and 1,008.7 ± 117.6 pg/ml, respectively. The median levels of s-klotho in the 3 studied groups were 3.15, 2.3 and 2.95, respectively. It was found that FGF-23 was significantly increased and α klotho was significantly decreased in all patients when compared with those in the control group (p < 0.001, <0.001, respectively). We found that there was a significant inverse correlation between serum Ca and α klotho in the studied groups. There was no significant correlation between FGF-23 and α klotho in the studied groups (p > 0.05). We have shown that circulating s-klotho was not related to FGF-23 in CKD, dialysis and KTR patients. In addition, we demonstrated a novel association between serum Ca and s-klotho that needs to be further studied.