Biomarkers for assessing the quality of donor kidneys

  • L. Korol State Institution “O.O. Shalimov National Scientific Centre for Surgery and Transplantology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine,” Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5484-0326
  • I. Shifris State Institution “O.O. Shalimov National Scientific Centre for Surgery and Transplantology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine,” Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9413-7301
  • А. Shuba Educational and Scientific Center "Institute of Biology and Medicine," Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
  • M. Kolesnyk State Institution “O.O. Shalimov National Scientific Centre for Surgery and Transplantology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine,” Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6658-3729
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31450/ukrjnd.4(88).2025.09
Keywords: donor organ, biomarkers, graft quality, delayed graft function, machine perfusion, kidney transplantation.

Abstract

The shortage of suitable donor organs and the increase in the proportion of extended criteria donors and donation after circulatory death necessitate the most accurate possible assessment of donor kidney quality, regardless of its origin. Adequate assessment of donor kidneys for transplantation remains insufficiently objective, as it is impossible to predict the severity of post-transplant ischemic-reperfusion injury and the prospects for restoration of transplanted kidney function based on standard approaches. The purpose of this review is to evaluate biomarkers of donor kidney quality prior to transplantation and the prognostic value of these indicators for early and long-term graft function.

The paper considers biomarkers of donor kidney quality (blood, urine, biopsies, and perfusate) and markers of acute damage (NGAL, KIM-1, IL-18, CXCL10, etc.), along with “repair” markers (uromodulin, osteopontin), proteomics, and molecular signatures of transcriptomics. Their prognostic value for delayed graft function, primary non-function, acute rejection, and long-term survival of the transplanted kidney is analyzed. Therefore, the most effective approach to assessing the quality of a donor kidney is a multiparametric approach combining traditional assessment methods and prediction using the latest biomarkers.

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Published
2025-12-04
How to Cite
Korol, L., Shifris, I., ShubaА., & Kolesnyk, M. (2025). Biomarkers for assessing the quality of donor kidneys. Ukrainian Journal of Nephrology and Dialysis, (4(88), 72-87. https://doi.org/10.31450/ukrjnd.4(88).2025.09
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No 4(88) (2025): Ukrainian Journal of Nephrology and Dialysis
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Nephrology School

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