Early diagnosis of active kidney damage
with the innovative biomarker Dkk3
because your kidneys know no pain
Test based on ELISA technology
for non-invasive diagnostics in urine
Millions suffer from kidney disease - only a few know it
The kidneys perform vital detoxification functions in our body. Chronic kidney disease often goes unnoticed for a long time, as it causes neither pain nor other obvious symptoms. As a result, only a few of those affected are aware of their ongoing kidney damage. Regardless of the different causes, the course of chronic kidney disease is always characterized by the progressive loss of kidney function. In the event of a complete loss of kidney function, only renal replacement therapy can preserve life.
Dkk3 - Biomarker for the diagnosis of progressive kidney disease
In a joint statement, three international nephrology societies - International Society of Nephrology, American Society of Nephrology and European Renal Association - have drawn attention to the growing number of people with kidney disease worldwide [Francis et al. Nat Rev Nephrol 2024]. They also highlighted the fact that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is underestimated in many ways, as most people are unaware of their kidney disease for a long time. This often prevents timely measures from being taken to effectively slow down the progression of the disease.
Established laboratory parameters for the assessment of kidney function, e.g. creatinine or cystatin C in the blood and the GFR estimated from these (eGFR), reflect kidney function at the time of determination, but give no information about the degree of activity of kidney damage and its further progression. The currently used indirect kidney damage markers such as proteinuria also do not provide information about the existence of active kidney damage, nor whether this disastrous process is progressing.
Dickkopf-3 (Dkk3) is a biomarker for the early diagnosis of progressive kidney damage. Dkk3 is released very early by "stressed" tubular cells to limit further damage to the kidney tissue. Ultimately, however, the sustained, uncontrolled release of Dkk3, which also has pro-fibrotic properties, leads to progressive scarring (fibrosis) of the kidney tissue (Figure).
In people with healthy kidneys, Dkk3 is not detectable in the urine at all or only in very small quantities. In people with CKD, the Dkk3 concentration in urine (uDkk3) correlates with future loss of kidney function, i.e., uDkk3 reliably predicts CKD progression.
The success of therapeutic measures to slow CKD progression, such as strict blood pressure control or pharmacological interventions, can be monitored by measuring uDkk3 as well [Zewinger et al, J Am Soc Nephrol 2018; Schunk et al, Lancet 2019; Speer et al, Lancet Child & Adolescent Health 2023].
