Significant Decrease in Plasma N-Acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline Level in Patients with End Stage Renal Disease after Kidney Transplantation

N-Acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (AcSDKP) is an endogenous peptide released from its precursor (thymosin-beta 4) by prolyl oligopeptidase. AcSDKP is a natural inhibitor of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and is normally found in human plasma. AcSDKP has been shown to be a potent angiogenic factor and to suppress renal fibroblast proliferation. Impairment of renal function has been suggested to have a significant impact on plasma AcSDKP level. The aim of this study was to assess whether improvement of renal function after kidney transplantation has an impact on plasma AcSDKP-like immunoreactive substance (IS) level. Fourteen patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) who were scheduled to undergo the first kidney allograft transplantation were enrolled. Plasma AcSDKP-IS levels were measured before and 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 30, 60 and 90 d after kidney transplantation. Plasma AcSDKP-IS level decreased significantly from day 3 after kidney transplantation compared to before kidney transplantation. Creatinine clearance increased significantly from day 7 after kidney transplantation. A significant negative correlation was observed between creatinine clearance and plasma AcSDKP-IS level from before transplantation to 90 d after kidney transplantation. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified creatinine clearance as the only significant independent factor associated with plasma AcSDKP-IS levels. These results suggest that recovery of kidney function after kidney transplantation may lead to a decrease in plasma AcSDKP level in patients with ESRD, and that plasma AcSDKP level may depend largely on renal function.