Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Test to detect kidney injury molecule 1 in cat urine samples
By Bland, S Karlyn et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2019·Department of Pathobiology, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A specific immunoassay for detection of feline kidney injury molecule 1.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A new urine test has been developed to help detect kidney injury in cats, specifically looking for a marker called kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1). This test could be particularly useful for cats showing signs of acute kidney injury (AKI), such as lethargy, decreased appetite, or increased thirst. Preliminary results show that the test can identify elevated levels of KIM-1 in cats with conditions like sepsis or urethral obstruction, which can lead to kidney damage. While the test shows promise, further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in different situations and with various types of kidney injury.
People also search for: cat kidney injury test · feline acute kidney injury symptoms · cat urine test for kidney problems
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to design and carry out a preliminary evaluation of a urine point-of-care test for kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) in healthy and diseased cats. METHODS: Part of the felinegene was amplified, ligated into a plasmid with a signal peptide and monomeric human IgGFc, and transfected into a mammalian cell line. Supernatant was purified and tested for the fusion protein by gel electrophoresis and Western blot. Mice were immunized three times with purified proteins, and hybridomas were generated from splenocytes. Antibodies were tested by ELISA for detection of recombinant KIM-1 and naturally occurring KIM-1 in disease-state urine. Next, a lateral flow assay (LFA) with capture and detection antibodies was constructed, and tested with 34 urine samples from healthy and diseased cats. Antibodies were also tested for reactivity with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded kidney tissue. RESULTS: Three antibodies were assessed. Antibodies detected between 0.4 and 60 ng/ml feline KIM-1 fusion protein in the LFA. Urine samples from healthy cats yielded faint bands in the LFA corresponding to optical density (OD) values of 4.8-8.8. Samples from cats with suspected or confirmed acute kidney injury (AKI) had OD values ranging from 1.6-20.5. Urine KIM-1 varied over multiple days in cats with sepsis or urethral obstruction despite normalizing serum creatinine concentration. In tissue sections, KIM-1 antibodies labeled tubular cells with morphological features of injury. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A practical patient-side assay for detection of KIM-1 in feline urine has been developed. Preliminary results show marked though transient increases in cats with sepsis and urethral obstruction-associated AKI, and expression in injured tubules. Although initial data indicating that the LFA is sensitive and specific for KIM-1 in cats with AKI are promising, values associated with different types of injury, urine collection, urine storage and specific gravity need to be investigated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30461328/