Pregnancy associated plasma protein-A: a promising biomarker in kidney diseases

Abstract Kidney diseases are a worldwide public health problem with more than 850 million patients all over the world. Therefore, early diagnosis is essential for effective treatment of any renal disease. Most biomarkers have the potential to be used in diagnosis, screening, prognosis, and follow-up, but it is challenging to confirm associations with certain diseases. Although some biomarkers such as urea and creatinine are used in clinical practice for kidney diseases, these molecules’ sensitivity and specificity are not at the desirable level. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is being used for the screening of Down’s syndrome in the first trimester of pregnancy, however, increased expressions have been reported in various kidney diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of PAPP-A as a potential biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring renal diseases. We searched Pubmed and Web of Science databases using PAPP-A, kidney diseases, acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplant, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney disease, and kidney cancer. According to our search, PAPP-A seems to be a candidate biomarker for diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease, yet further studies are needed to detect diseases in the early stage.