Serum elabela and apelin levels during different stages of chronic kidney disease
Authors: Rumei Luan
Yu Chen
Shengmao Liu
Hong Zhang
Xuehong Lu
Wenpeng Cui
Feng Xu
Lin Shi
Yue Lu
Yixian Zhang
Lining Miao
Journal: Renal Failure (2020)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Apelin; Elabela (ELA); chronic kidney disease (CKD); estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Affiliations: Department of Nephrology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China, Department of Endocrinology, Huaian First People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai’an China, Department of Pediatrics, Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China

Abstract:  Purpose: The association of serum elabela (ELA) and apelin with the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unknown. We determined if serum ELA and apelin levels were associated with CKD stage. Methods: This observational study involved 60 CKD patients and 20 healthy, age-, race-, and gender-matched controls. The participants were grouped according to renal function as follows: normal control group, CKD1 group (stage-1 CKD, 20 patients), CKD3 group (stage-3 CKD, 20 patients), and CKD5 group (stage-5 CKD, 20 patients) in accordance with the Kidney Disease Outcomes - Quality Initiative criteria. We recorded the demographic, clinical, and biochemical data of all participants. Serum ELA and apelin levels were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results: Serum ELA levels gradually and significantly declined with decreases in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Serum ELA showed significant negative correlations with serum creatinine (r = -0.529, p &lt; .001), blood urea nitrogen (r = -0.575, p &lt; .001), systolic blood pressure (r = -0.455, p &lt; .001), and diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.450, p &lt; .001), and significant positive correlations with hemoglobin (r = 0.523, p &lt; .001) and eGFR (r = 0.728, p &lt; .001). Multiple regression analysis showed that eGFR independently influenced serum ELA levels. No significant association was found between serum apelin levels and CKD progression. Conclusion: In CKD patients, serum ELA levels decreased with decreasing eGFR. This finding may provide a new target for the prediction, diagnosis, and staging of CKD. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
  In a renal ischemia-reperfusion (I R) injury model, ELA-32 and ELA-11 significantly inhibited I R injury-induced renal fibrosis, inflammation, apoptosis, and DNA damage response, and remarkably protected against the development of renal tubular lesions and renal dysfunction [31]. - [31] Sun X, Yuan X, Chen L, et al. **Histamine induces bovine rumen epithelial cell inflammatory response via NF-jB pathway**. Cell Physiol Biochem. 2017;42(3): 1109u20131119. Kidneys seem to have been confused with cattle rumen. Could the authors check? , 
 #1 Dear Hoya camphorifolia, Thank you for your friendly reminder. We have checked the original manuscript. Itu2019s true that we made a mistake in the citation when we rivsed the paper.  In a renal ischemia-reperfusion (I R) injury model, ELA-32 and ELA-11 significantly inhibited I R injury-induced renal fibrosis, inflammation, apoptosis, and DNA damage response, and remarkably protected against the development of renal tubular lesions and renal dysfunction [31]. In fact, reference [31] is Chen, H., et al., ELABELA and an ELABELA Fragment Protect against AKI. J Am Soc Nephrol, 2017. 28(9): p. 2694-2707 I m sorry to have confused and misled the readers. Yours sincerely, Feng Xu ,