Early detection of diabetic nephropathy in kidney transplants by chemical imaging approaches

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The evaluation of renal biopsies in high-risk kidney transplant recipients is of critical importance for the early identification of sub-clinical detecton of complications. While great strides have been made in the reduction of short-term causes of graft loss, there still remains a need to monitor and identify long-term causes of graft loss such as recurrence of diabetic nephropathy through surveillance biopsies. However, the assessment of renal biopsies by the pathologist can frequently be a difficult task due to histological changes often not being specific and having limited predictive value. In addition, by the time histological changes become apparent in renal biopsy it is too late for successful intervention. The emergence of the chemical imaging approach, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy imaging as a fast and label-free approach to derive biochemically rich images that can allow for the simultaneous measurement of many key cellular biomolecules could be of tremendous value in providing additional information to the clinician. Specifically, we are focused on developing high-resolution FT-IR techniques coupled with computational approaches to identify the earliest biochemical changes in renal biopsies that can be used to predict diabetic glomerulopathy before histologically apparent changes can be identified. In addition, we propose to gain an understanding of the biochemical events that occur as part of the disease processes.