Levels of Apelin-12, AT1R, and AGT are correlated with degree of renal fibrosis in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy.

Background: To explore the relationship between the degree of renal fibrosis in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and their levels of Apelin-12, Average Optical Density of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AODAT1R), and angiotensinogen (AGT).

Methods: A total of 156 patients with IgAN diagnosed by renal biopsy in our hospital were selected and divided into a T0 group (54 cases), T1 group (49 cases) and T2 group (53 cases). The levels of Apelin-12, AT1R, and AGT were compared among the three groups, and the relationship between the above three indicators and degree of renal fibrosis was analyzed among patients with IgAN.

Results: The AODAT1R and AGT level in the T2 group and T1 groups were significantly higher than those of the T0 group, and the Apelin-12 level of patients in the T2 group and T1 groups were significantly lower than that in T0 group. Significances of the same trend were observed among all the above indicators between the T2 group and T1 group. ROC curves showed that when the cutoff value of Apelin-12 was 2.36 µg/L, the area under curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of T0-T1T2 were 0.889, 92.00%, and 88.00%, respectively. When the cut-off value of AODAT1R was 0.065, the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.706, 76.00%, and 76.00%, respectively, and when the cut-off value of AGT was 47.26 ng/mL, the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.899, 84.00%, and 88.00%, respectively. When the cutoff value of Apelin-12 was 0.92 µg/L, the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of T0T1-T2 were 0.819, 84.62%, and 87.50%, respectively, and when the cutoff value of AODAT1R was 0.079, the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.699, 76.92%, and 79.17%, respectively. When the cut-off value of AGT was 92.96 ng/mL, the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.893, 84.62%, and 91.67%, respectively.

Conclusions: Apelin-12 decreased with disease progression, while AT1R and AGT increased. The changes of levels of Apelin-12, AT1R, and AGT have certain significance in judging the degree of renal fibrosis in patients with IgA nephropathy, and the change of level of AGT has the highest correlation with the degree of renal fibrosis.