Association of Serum PSP/REG Iαwith Renal Function in Pregnant Women

Abstract

Pancreatic stone protein/regenerating protein Iα(PSP/REG Iα) is a secretory protein produced in the pancreas, but its expression has also been observed in the kidney. It may be associated with kidney dysfunction. This study investigates the possible association between PSP/REG Iαand kidney function in pregnant women. Serum PSP/REG Iαlevels were measured by a specific ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Maternal information and clinical and biochemical parameters were collected. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated for all individuals to evaluate their renal function. Spearman’s correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between PSP/REG Iαand eGFR, serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA). A total of 595 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Participants with mildly reduced eGFR had higher PSP/REG Iαlevels [50.49 (35.02, 58.64)] than in the general population [26.84 (21.02, 33.07)] (p < 0.001). Included participants were stratified into PSP/REG Iαquartiles; significant differences were observed in the levels of eGFR, serum Cr, BUN, and UA. PSP/REG Iαwas negatively correlated with eGFR (r = −0.402, p < 0.001) and positively associated with serum Cr (r = 0.468, p < 0.001), BUN (r = 0.166, p < 0.001), and UA (r = 0.207, p < 0.001). The linear regression analysis indicated that PSP/REG Iαwas associated with UA, BUN, and eGFR. High PSP/REG Iαconcentrations were closely associated with renal dysfunction in pregnant women. Our study provides clinical evidence that serum PSP/REG Iαlevels could be a novel biomarker for assessment of renal function in pregnant women.