Gene expression of prothrombin in human and rat kidneys: Basic and clinical approach

Prothrombin has remarkable affinity for calcium oxalate crystals. It is pro duced in renal tubular cells and is detected as a urinary form of prothromb in F1. The aim of this basic study was (1) to isolate prothrombin mRNA from normal human and rat kidneys; (2) to confirm expression level changes in s tone-forming rat kidneys; and (3) to analyze the DNA sequence of renal prot hrombin. The aim of the clinical investigation was to measure the serum lev els of renal prothrombin in clinical cases of various urologic diseases. Th e expression of prothrombin mRNA in human kidneys and male Wister rat: kidn eys was investigated using reverse transcription-PCR, with prothrombin (F1, F2, and thrombin) primers. Renal prothrombin levels were measured in the s era of patients with renal cell carcinoma, renal transplant donors, patient s with chronic renal failure, and renal transplant recipients, using an enz yme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of cyclophilin as well as prothr ombin mRNA could be detected. Prothrombin mRNA expression levels seemed to be increased in stone-forming rats. The DNA sequence of renal prothrombin d iffered from that of liver prothrombin at three points. Repeated measuremen ts of renal prothrombin showed that values were high during the acute tubul ar necrosis period and tended to decrease with the recovery of renal functi on. Prothrombin mRNA expression could be confirmed in human and rat kidneys , as well as in stone-forming rat kidneys. Serum concentration measurements can be considered useful for assessment of recovery from acute tubular nec rosis after renal transplantation and for diagnosis of acute rejection.