Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42429969›Full record

ArticlePediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)2026

Urothelial protein expression in pediatric patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

Ashley R Jackson, Sudipti Gupta, Macie Kercsmar, John W Froehlich, Richard S Lee, Brian Becknell, Christina B Ching

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Article in Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ashley R JacksonKidney and Urinary Tract Center, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1571-3906
Sudipti GuptaKidney and Urinary Tract Center, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7574-5064
Macie KercsmarKidney and Urinary Tract Center, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5033-9462
John W FroehlichDepartment of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5354-5632
Richard S LeeDepartment of Urology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9424-7175
Brian BecknellKidney and Urinary Tract Center, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA. brian.becknell2@nationwidechildrens.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2750-4415
Christina B ChingKidney and Urinary Tract Center, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA. christina.ching@nationwidechildrens.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3396-4215

Funding

NIDDK NIH HHS 1R03DK140423-01A1NIDDK NIH HHS K01-DK12699NIDDK NIH HHS R01-DK125469
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is the leading cause of congenital obstructive uropathy. Experimental models have identified local urothelial remodeling in UPJO and implicated this remodeling as a protective adaptation to preserve kidney structural integrity and function. We investigated the expression of urothelial proteins in human urine and resected tissue specimens from children with UPJO in a pilot study.

methodsChildren undergoing pyeloplasty for clinically significant UPJO and healthy age- and sex-matched controls were included. Bladder urine samples were evaluated by ELISA for urothelial proteins (KRT5, KRT14, KRT20, UPK2, UPK3A) and normalized to creatinine (Cr). When available, kidney urine collected at pyeloplasty was compared to bladder urine from the same subject. Urothelial proteins were localized by immunofluorescence microscopy in surgically resected kidney pelvises proximal to the obstruction.

resultsTwenty-three UPJO and 14 control urines were evaluated. KRT14/Cr, KRT20/Cr, and UPK2/Cr levels were significantly higher in UPJO urine compared to controls (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test). Levels of urothelial proteins were as high or higher in urine obtained from the obstructed kidney when compared to paired bladder urine. Immunofluorescence microscopy of obstructed urothelium identified basal KRT14+ cells, pan-urothelial UPK+ cells, and superficial KRT20 + cells, with nuclear localization of two transcription factors implicated in obstructive urothelial remodeling, GRHL3 and PPARγ.

conclusionsWe provide evidence of increased urothelial proteins in urine from children with UPJO in this pilot study, along with evidence of their local expression by obstructed urothelium.

Indexed as

Congenital urinary tract obstructionKeratinObstructive uropathyUreteropelvic junction obstructionUroplakinUrothelium

Identifiers

PMID42429969

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