Abstract: Methods of assessing the ongoing kidney status in a subject afflicted with chronic renal failure (CRF) by detecting the quantity of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in fluid samples over time is disclosed. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine and serum as a result of chronic renal tubule cell injury. Incremental increases in NGAL levels in CRF patients over a prolonged period of time are diagnostic of worsening kidney disease. This increase in NGAL precedes and correlates with other indicators of worsening CRF, such as increased serum creatinine, increased urine protein secretion, and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Proper detection of worsening (or improving, if treatment has been instituted) renal status over time, confirmed by pre- and post-treatment NGAL levels in the patient, can aid the clinical practitioner in designing and/or maintaining a proper treatment regimen to slow or stop the progression of CRF.

Abstract: A preservation solution for organs waiting to be transplanted is disclosed; the method of using the solution in a transplantation procedure is also disclosed. The preservation solutions comprise a balanced isotonic aqueous solution comprising sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate ions in a physiologically acceptable amount, together with an effective amount of a mutein of the C5a anaphylatoxin which is a C5a receptor antagonist wherein the amino acid residue naturally occurring at sequence position 69 is mutated.

Abstract: A method for distinguishing between kidney dysfunctions in a mammal, including pre-renal azotemia, an acute renal injury that may progress to acute renal failure, and chronic kidney disease, using a urinary or circulating NGAL assay result that is compared to a predetermined NGAL cutoff level, and a single serum or plasma creatinine measurement. Typically the single creatinine measurement cannot distinguish acute renal injury from chronic kidney disease or pre-renal azotemia, a single measurement of urinary NGAL, combined with the single serum or plasma creatinine measurement, has sufficient sensitivity and specificity to distinguish acute renal injury from normal function, prerenal azotemia, and chronic kidney disease and predicts poor inpatient outcomes.

Abstract: A method of assessing the ongoing kidney status of a mammal afflicted with or at risk of developing chronic renal injury or disease, including chronic renal failure (CRF) by detecting the quantity of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in urine, serum or plasma samples at discrete time periods, as well as over time. Incremental increases in NGAL levels in CRF patients over a prolonged period of time are diagnostic of worsening kidney disease. This increase in NGAL precedes and correlates with other indicators of worsening chronic renal disease or CRF, such as increased serum creatinine, increased urine protein secretion, and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Proper detection of worsening (or improving, if treatment has been instituted) renal status over time, confirmed by pre- and post-treatment NGAL levels in the patient, can aid the clinical practitioner in designing and/or maintaining a proper treatment regimen to slow or stop the progression of CRF.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the immediate or early onset of renal disease and injury, including renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an immediate or early on-set biomarker in a sample of blood serum. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the blood serum following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctuate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the serum is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: A method of assessing the ongoing kidney status of a mammal afflicted with or at risk of developing chronic renal injury or disease, including chronic renal failure (CRF) by detecting the quantity of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in urine, serum or plasma samples at discrete time periods, as well as over time. Incremental increases in NGAL levels in CRF patients over a prolonged period of time are diagnostic of worsening kidney disease. This increase in NGAL precedes and correlates with other indicators of worsening chronic renal disease or CRF, such as increased serum creatinine, increased urine protein secretion, and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Proper detection of worsening (or improving, if treatment has been instituted) renal status over time, confirmed by pre- and post-treatment NGAL levels in the patient, can aid the clinical practitioner in designing and/or maintaining a proper treatment regimen to slow or stop the progression of CRF.

Abstract: A method of assessing the ongoing kidney status of a mammal afflicted with or at risk of developing chronic renal injury or disease, including chronic renal failure (CRF) by detecting the quantity of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in urine, serum or plasma samples at discrete time periods, as well as over time. Incremental increases in NGAL levels in CRF patients over a prolonged period of time are diagnostic of worsening kidney disease. This increase in NGAL precedes and correlates with other indicators of worsening chronic renal disease or CRF, such as increased serum creatinine, increased urine protein secretion, and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Proper detection of worsening (or improving, if treatment has been instituted) renal status over time, confirmed by pre- and post-treatment NGAL levels in the patient, can aid the clinical practitioner in designing and/or maintaining a proper treatment regimen to slow or stop the progression of CRF.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the immediate or early onset of renal disease and injury, including renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an immediate or early on-set biomarker in a sample of blood serum. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the blood serum following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctuate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the serum is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: A method and kit for identifying the presence of an early biomarker of impaired renal status following a renal event in a mammalian subject. The method typically comprises (a) providing a body fluid sample obtained from a mammalian subject following a renal event; and (b) detecting in the provided sample the presence of a protein selected from the group consisting of aprotinin, alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M), alpha-1-acid-glycoprotein (A1AG), microalbumin, and combinations thereof, the presence thereof serving as an early biomarker of a change in renal status. The method can include a kit for point-of-care detection of the early biomarker of impaired renal status.

Abstract: A preservation solution for organs waiting to be transplanted is disclosed; the method of using the solution in a transplantation procedure is also disclosed. The preservation solutions comprise a balanced isotonic aqueous solution comprising sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate ions in a physiologically acceptable amount, together with an effective amount of a mutein of the C5a anaphylatoxin which is a C5a receptor antagonist wherein the amino acid residue naturally occurring at sequence position 69 is mutated.

Abstract: A method for the detection of an early biomarker for assessing a change in renal status in a mammalian subject following a renal event. The method typically includes the steps of (a) providing a body fluid sample obtained from a mammalian subject; (b) analyzing the molecular weight of the proteins in the sample using proteome analysis; and (c) identifying the presence of a protein in the sample selected from the group consisting of a 6.4 kDa protein, a 28.5 kDa protein, a 33 kDa protein, a 44 kDa protein, a 67 kDa protein, and combinations thereof. The presence of one of these proteins can serve as an early biomarker for assessing a change in renal status. The levels of these proteins can be compared to predetermined levels, and thus provide a determination of the subject's renal status. The invention also includes a method of assessing the administration of aprotinin during cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery and provides for methods where the level of the 6.

Abstract: Methods of assessing the ongoing kidney status in a subject afflicted with chronic renal failure (CRF) by detecting the quantity of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) in fluid samples over time is disclosed. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine and serum as a result of chronic renal tubule cell injury. Incremental increases in NGAL levels in CRF patients over a prolonged period of time are diagnostic of worsening kidney disease. This increase in NGAL precedes and correlates with other indicators of worsening CRF, such as increased serum creatinine, increased urine protein secretion, and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Proper detection of worsening (or improving, if treatment has been instituted) renal status over time, confirmed by pre- and post-treatment NGAL levels in the patient, can aid the clinical practitioner in designing and/or maintaining a proper treatment regimen to slow or stop the progression of CRF.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the immediate or early onset of renal disease and injury, including renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an immediate or early on-set biomarker in a sample of blood serum. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the blood serum following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctuate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the serum is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: Use of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a therapeutic and in a method of treating, reducing, or ameliorating an injury selected from an ischemic injury, an ischemic-reperfusion injury, and a toxin-induced injury, to an organ in a patient. The invention includes administering to the patient NGAL in an amount effective to treat, reduce or ameliorate ischemic, ischemic-reperfusion, or toxin-induced injury to the organ, such as the kidney. A siderophore can be co-administered with the NGAL. The invention also relates to administering a sideophore to enhance a response to secretion of NGAL following an ischemic or toxin-induced injury to an organ in a patient.

Abstract: A method and kit for detecting the early onset of renal tubular cell injury, utilizing NGAL as an early urinary biomarker. NGAL is a small secreted polypeptide that is protease resistant and consequently readily detected in the urine following renal tubule cell injury. NGAL protein expression is detected predominantly in proximal tubule cells, in a punctate cytoplasmic distribution reminiscent of a secreted protein. The appearance NGAL in the urine is related to the dose and duration of renal ischemia and nephrotoxemia, and is diagnostic of renal tubule cell injury and renal failure. NGAL detection is also a useful marker for monitoring the nephrotoxic side effects of drugs or other therapeutic agents.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polypeptide of 26 amino acid residues that comprises the minimal ankyrin binding (MAB) domain. The MAB domain is responsible for the interactions between a Na,K-ATPase and ankyrin. The present invention also provides the three dimensional structure of the MAB domain. Also provided by the present invention are methods for modulating the interaction of a Na,K-ATPase and ankyrin.

Abstract: A novel cytoplasmic ankyrin protein is disclosed along with methods for selectively identifying ankyrin proteins that participate in the trafficking of integral membrane proteins and secretory proteins between the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi and other membrane compartments. Nucleic acid and protein sequences are disclosed, along with methods for identifying agents that modulate the binding of ankyrins to their binding partners.