Early Diagnosis Tool for Childhood Kidney Disease: Analysis of Urinary Extracellular Vesicles (EVs); New Technique Can Detect Damage to Children’s Kidneys Earlier Than Current Tests

Early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is key to managing progression of the disease. A new technique analyzing urine extracellular vesicles (uEVs)--cell-derived nanoscale spherical structures involved in multiple biological functions--in urine samples identifies changes in the kidneys earlier than conventional methods and can also predict renal function decline. A team at the University of Tokyo studied urine samples from children with and without CKD. They found that the size and content of uEVs change with decreasing kidney function. This proof of concept could help with developing new urine tests that can catch the disease earlier, as well as the development of similar tests for other diseases. The work was published online on November 8, 2022 in iScience. The open-access article is titled “Urinary Extracellular Vesicles Signature for Diagnosis of Kidney Disease.”