Molecular evaluation of renal biopsies: a search for predictive and prognostic markers in lupus nephritis.

The therapeutic management of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) remains a major challenge. The availability of biomarkers that accurately predict renal flares, response to immunosuppressive treatment and risk of progression to end-stage renal disease would allow the more effective use of currently available immunosuppression, with less toxicity. The molecular ana-lysis of renal biopsy samples provides direct insights into pathologic processes in LN, and constitutes a valuable approach to discover biomarkers that may be used to improve the outcome of LN patients. Reich et al. recently described a method for simultaneously detecting multiple mRNA transcripts in archived formalin-fixed renal biopsy samples. The authors identify three transcripts (EGF, MMP7 and COL1A1) that relate to pathological indices of kidney injury and function.