Value of Plasmatic Villin-1 in the Prediction of Early Graft Dysfunction in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Diagnostic Accuracy Test

Objectives: One of the complications of kidney transplant is delayed graft function. Villin-1 has been detected in urine of patients with acute kidney injury. In addition, it is redistributed during acute kidney injury from the brush borders of the proximal tubular cells toward the basolateral membrane, which positions villin-1 closer to the renal vasculature, suggesting that it could be also released in the blood and thus can be a novel biomarker for delayed graft function. Materials and Methods: In this diagnostic accuracy test multicenter study, 41 patients undergoing kidney transplant and attending renal transplant clinics were assigned into 2 groups according to serum creatinine levels during the first 2 days posttransplant: delayed graft function group and normal graft function group. We measured plasmatic villin-1 in comparison to serum creatinine levels at the time of declamping (time 0) and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours after declamping. Results: Statistically significant differences were noted in comparisons between groups at same time points with regard to plasmatic villin-1 levels; also, plasmatic villin-1 started to increase above reference range in patients with end-stage renal disease at 5 hours after declamping; a peak was shown at hour 7 in the delayed graft function group, which decreased but did not reach the reference range until 120 hours after declamping. Conclusions: Plasmatic villin-1 is a promising novel biomarker for detection of early graft dysfunction in kidney transplant recipients.