FGF23 in kidney transplant: the strange case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde

The Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Systemic Effects Mediated by Parathormone in the Context of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stands as a prominent non-communicable ailment, significantly impacting life expectancy. Physiopathology stands mainly upon the triangle represented by parathormone-Vitamin D-Fibroblast Growth Factor-23. Parathormone (PTH), the key hormone in mineral homeostasis, is one of the less easily modifiable parameters in CKD; however, it stands as a significant marker for assessing the risk of complications. The updated "trade-off hypothesis" reveals that levels of PTH spike out of the normal range as early as stage G2 CKD, advancing it as a possible determinant of systemic damage. The present review aims to review the effects exhibited by PTH on several organs while linking the molecular mechanisms to the observed actions in the context of CKD. From a diagnostic perspective, PTH is the most reliable and accessible biochemical marker in CKD, but its trend bears a higher significance on a patient's prognosis rather than the absolute value. Classically, PTH acts in a dichotomous manner on bone tissue, maintaining a balance between formation and resorption. Under the uremic conditions of advanced CKD, the altered intestinal microbiota majorly tips the balance towards bone lysis. Probiotic treatment has proven reliable in animal models, but in humans, data are limited. Regarding bone status, persistently high levels of PTH determine a reduction in mineral density and a concurrent increase in fracture risk. Pharmacological manipulation of serum PTH requires appropriate patient selection and monitoring since dangerously low levels of PTH may completely inhibit bone turnover. Moreover, the altered mineral balance extends to the cardiovascular system, promoting vascular calcifications. Lastly, the involvement of PTH in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone axis highlights the importance of opting for the appropriate pharmacological agent should hypertension develop.

Bone Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplant

Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD) comprises alterations in calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), Vitamin D, and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) metabolism, abnormalities in bone turnover, mineralization, volume, linear growth or strength, and vascular calcification leading to an increase in bone fractures and vascular disease, which ultimately result in high morbidity and mortality. The bone component of CKD-MBD, referred to as renal osteodystrophy, starts early during the course of CKD as a result of the effects of progressive reduction in kidney function which modify the tight interaction between mineral, hormonal, and other biochemical mediators of cell function that ultimately lead to bone disease. In addition, other factors, such as osteoporosis not apparently dependent on the typical pathophysiologic abnormalities resulting from altered kidney function, may accompany the different varieties of renal osteodystrophy leading to an increment in the risk of bone fracture. After kidney transplantation, these bone alterations and others directly associated or not with changes in kidney function may persist, progress or transform into a different entity due to new pathogenetic mechanisms. With time, these alterations may improve or worsen depending to a large extent on the restoration of kidney function and correction of the metabolic abnormalities developed during the course of CKD. In this paper, we review the bone lesions that occur during both CKD progression and after kidney transplant and analyze the factors involved in their pathogenesis as a means to raise awareness of their complexity and interrelationship.

A roadmap to parathyroidectomy for kidney transplant candidates

Chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorder may persist after successful kidney transplantation. Persistent hyperparathyroidism has been identified in up to 80% of patients throughout the first year after kidney transplantation. International guidelines lack strict recommendations about the management of persistent hyperparathyroidism. However, it is associated with adverse graft and patient outcomes, including higher fracture risk and an increased risk of all-cause mortality and allograft loss. Secondary hyperparathyroidism may be treated medically (vitamin D, phosphate binders and calcimimetics) or surgically (parathyroidectomy). Guideline recommendations suggest medical therapy first but do not clarify optimal parathyroid hormone targets or indications and timing of parathyroidectomy. There are no clear guidelines or long-term studies about the impact of hyperparathyroidism therapy. Parathyroidectomy is more effective than medical treatment, although it is associated with increased short-term risks. Ideally parathyroidectomy should be performed before kidney transplantation to prevent persistent hyperparathyroidism and improve graft outcomes. We now propose a roadmap for the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients eligible for kidney transplantation that includes the indications and timing (pre- or post-kidney transplantation) of parathyroidectomy, the evaluation of parathyroid gland size and the integration of parathyroid gland size in the decision-making process by a multidisciplinary team of nephrologists, radiologists and surgeons.

Denosumab-Induced Hypocalcemia and Hyperparathyroidism in de novo Kidney Transplant Recipients

INTRODUCTION

Denosumab represents a realistic treatment option to increase bone mineral density in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). It is still unknown how and at what extent posttransplantation bone disease and graft function influence the effects of denosumab on mineral metabolism indexes. In this study, we analyze risk factors of hypocalcemia and parathyroid hormone (PTH) increase after denosumab administration in eighteen de novo KTRs and its management before and after this treatment.

METHODS

We conducted a monocentric, observational, prospective study on de novo KTRs. All KTRs enrolled received a single 60 mg subcutaneous dose of denosumab every 6 months. Before kidney transplantation, no patients were treated with calcio-mimetic. After kidney transplantation and before antiresorptive therapy, no patients were treated with calcio-mimetic drugs and/or vitamin D receptor agonists, while all patients received nutritional vitamin D supplementation (from 1,000 IU to 1,500 IU daily).

RESULTS

Hypocalcemia was related to the degree of lumbar osteoporosis (p = 0.047); the increase in the PTH level was correlated to baseline bone turnover markers (bone alkaline phosphatase, serum osteocalcin, and β-C-terminal telopeptide), the 25 OH status, and eGFR. The introduction of calcitriol, after the PTH increase, in addition to cholecalciferol was necessary to ensure an adequate control of serum calcium and PTH during a follow-up of 15 months. Following the treatment with denosumab, it was observed an improvement of areal bone mineral density both at lumbar and femoral sites with a mean percentual increase of 1.74% and 0.25%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Denosumab is an effective treatment for bone disease in KTRs. In our study, the increase in PTH is not a transient event but prolonged throughout the follow-up period and requires continuous supplementation therapy with calcitriol.

FGF23: From academic nephrology to personalized patients' care

Twenty years have passed since the identification of klotho and the fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), the regulatory binomial of phosphate homeostasis. Being kidney the main source of klotho as well as a target organ in the phosphate regulation, most studies involving klotho and FGF23 had a "nephrocentric" focus. Considering that circulating FGF23 can reach exaggerated levels at the end stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), the bias of this approach allowed to recognize the harmful "off target" klotho-independent effect of FGF23. All of these findings have caused a revolution on our previous knowledge about mineral homeostasis and currently, we are facing a new scenario in the clinical management of CKD, where FGF23 emerges simultaneously as an early biomarker of phosphate retention but also as a therapeutic target. In this review, we describe the disturbances of FGF23 in the CKD and we focus on how the maintenance of circulating FGF23 into a supraphysiological adaptive range from the initial stages of CKD and the control of "unlimited hyperphosphatonism" generated by the resistance to FGF23 action at end stages should emerge as new treatment paradigms in CKD-MBD. The recent development of an automated FGF23 assay, already validated for clinical use, should be the starting point to individualize all our knowledge from epidemiological studies and will allow us to use it properly for the patient's personalized care. Then, now we are in the momentum to assess the discriminating thresholds to distinguish the physiological adaptive FGF23 elevation related to each CKD stage from the exaggerated increase that would be interpreted as a poor regulatory compensation that will requires the adoption of therapeutic intervention.

Vitamin D Effects on Bone Homeostasis and Cardiovascular System in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Renal Transplant Recipients

Poor vitamin D status is common in patients with impaired renal function and represents one main component of the complex scenario of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). Therapeutic and dietary efforts to limit the consequences of uremia-associated vitamin D deficiency are a current hot topic for researchers and clinicians in the nephrology area. Evidence indicates that the low levels of vitamin D in patients with CKD stage above 4 (GFR < 15 mL/min) have a multifactorial origin, mainly related to uremic malnutrition, namely impaired gastrointestinal absorption, dietary restrictions (low-protein and low-phosphate diets), and proteinuria. This condition is further worsened by the compromised response of CKD patients to high-dose cholecalciferol supplementation due to the defective activation of renal hydroxylation of vitamin D. Currently, the literature lacks large and interventional studies on the so-called non-calcemic activities of vitamin D and, above all, the modulation of renal and cardiovascular functions and immune response. Here, we review the current state of the art of the benefits of supplementation with native vitamin D in various clinical settings of nephrological interest: CKD, dialysis, and renal transplant, with a special focus on the effects on bone homeostasis and cardiovascular outcomes.

Role of C5 inhibition in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies and Scleroderma Renal Crisis-Induced Thrombotic Microangiopathies

Introduction

Connective tissue diseases, including systemic sclerosis and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), are a very rare cause of thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs). Whether dysregulation of the complement pathways underlies these secondary forms of TMA and may be targeted by complement blocking agents remains elusive.

Methods

Kidney pathology and outcomes of 18 critically ill patients with TMA related to inflammatory myopathy flare-up (IIM, n=7) or scleroderma renal crisis (SRC, n=11; biopsy n=9) are assessed.

Results

IIM-TMA is characterized by acute thrombotic lesions only, whereas SRC-TMA patients also harbored chronic vascular lesions and more interstitial fibrosis. C5b9 deposits, a marker of complement component 5 (C5) cleavage, were observed in the 2 subgroups at the junction of media and intima of arterioles, colocalizing with subendothelial edema. Thus, kidney biopsy distinguished between acute and chronic renal phenotypes that may help to individualize treatment. Treatment of IIM-TMA patients with combined full-code organ support, corticosteroids, B-cell depletion, and complement C5 blocking led to 1-year survival of 72%, compared with 19% in historical cohorts. Treatment of SRC-TMA was more heterogenous and relied on conversion enzyme inhibitor only or with eculizumab (n=6) and immunosuppressor (n=5). One-year survival of SRC-TMA patients was 52%, a result similar to historical cohorts. Eculizumab was followed by a rapid dramatic improvement of TMA in all the treated patients.

Conclusion

C5 blocking may reverse hematologic abnormalities in IIM- and SRC-TMA, and adding an early and aggressive immunosuppressive regimen may improve the survival of IIM-TMA. Underlying chronic vascular and interstitial lesions mitigate renal response in SRC-TMA.

[FGF23: from academic nephrology to personalized patient́s care]

Twenty years have passed since the identification of klotho and the fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), the regulatory binomial of phosphate homeostasis. Being kidney the main source of klotho as well as a target organ in the phosphate regulation, most studies involving klotho and FGF23 had a «nephrocentric» focus. Considering that circulating FGF23 can reach exaggerated levels at the end stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), the bias of this approach allowed to recognize the harmful «off target» klotho-independent effect of FGF23. All of these findings have caused a revolution on our previous knowledge about mineral homeostasis and currently, we are facing a new scenario in the clinical management of CKD, where FGF23 emerges simultaneously as an early biomarker of phosphate retention but also as a therapeutic target. In this review, we describe the disturbances of FGF23 in the CKD and we focus on how the maintenance of circulating FGF23 into a supraphysiological adaptive range from the initial stages of CKD and the control of «unlimited hyperphosphatonism» generated by the resistance to FGF23 action at end stages should emerge as new treatment paradigms in chronic kidney disease - mineral and bone disorders (CKD-MBD). The recent development of an automated FGF23 assay, already validated for clinical use, should be the starting point to individualize all our knowledge from epidemiological studies and will allow us to use it properly for the patient's personalized care. Then, now we are in the momentum to assess the discriminating thresholds to distinguish the physiological adaptive FGF23 elevation related to each CKD stage from the exaggerated increase that would be interpreted as a poor regulatory compensation that will requires the adoption of therapeutic intervention.

New Therapies for Hypophosphatemia-Related to FGF23 Excess

FGF23 is a hormone produced by osteocytes in response to an elevation in the concentration of extracellular phosphate. Excess production of FGF23 by bone cells, or rarely by tumors, is the hormonal basis for several musculoskeletal syndromes characterized by hypophosphatemia due to renal phosphate wasting. FGF23-dependent chronic hypophosphatemia causes rickets and osteomalacia, as well as other skeletal complications. Genetic disorders of FGF23-mediated hypophosphatemia include X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH), autosomal dominant hypophosphatemic rickets (ADHR), autosomal recessive hypophosphatemic rickets (ARHR), fibrous dysplasia of bone, McCune-Albright syndrome, and epidermal nevus syndrome (ENS), also known as cutaneous skeletal hypophosphatemia syndrome (CSHS). The principle acquired form of FGF23-mediated hypophosphatemia is tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO). This review summarizes current knowledge about the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of the most common FGF23-mediated conditions, with a focus on new treatment modalities. For many decades, calcitriol and phosphate supplements were the mainstay of therapy. Recently, burosumab, a monoclonal blocking antibody to FGF23, has been approved for treatment of XLH in children and adults, and an active comparator trial in children has shown good efficacy and safety for this drug. The remainder of FGF23-mediated hypophosphatemic disorders continue to be treated with phosphate and calcitriol, although ongoing trials with burosumab for treatment of tumor-induced osteomalacia show early promise. Burosumab may be an effective treatment for the remainder of FGF23-mediated disorders, but clinical trials to support that possibility are at present not available.

Current Therapy in CKD Patients Can Affect Vitamin K Status

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have a higher risk of cardiovascular (CVD) morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. The links between CKD and CVD are not fully elucidated but encompass both traditional and uremic-related risk factors. The term CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) indicates a systemic disorder characterized by abnormal levels of calcium, phosphate, PTH and FGF-23, along with vitamin D deficiency, decreased bone mineral density or altered bone turnover and vascular calcification. A growing body of evidence shows that CKD patients can be affected by subclinical vitamin K deficiency; this has led to identifying such a condition as a potential therapeutic target given the specific role of Vitamin K in metabolism of several proteins involved in bone and vascular health. In other words, we can hypothesize that vitamin K deficiency is the common pathogenetic link between impaired bone mineralization and vascular calcification. However, some of the most common approaches to CKD, such as (1) low vitamin K intake due to nutritional restrictions, (2) warfarin treatment, (3) VDRA and calcimimetics, and (4) phosphate binders, may instead have the opposite effects on vitamin K metabolism and storage in CKD patients.

Simultaneous intrathyroidal parathyroid adenomas and multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma in a patient with kidney transplantation: a case report

BACKGROUND

Persistent hyperparathyroidism after kidney transplantation has been associated with adverse outcomes. Parathyroidectomy is the definitive treatment approach, but the success of parathyroidectomy relies on the accurate preoperative localization of the culprit parathyroid lesions. Simultaneous intrathyroidal parathyroid adenomas and multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma present important diagnostic challenges. Here, we describe a patient with kidney transplantation who underwent successful surgery after being evaluated with functional and structural imaging.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 53-year-old man presented with potentially malignant multifocal thyroid nodules by ultrasonography 2 years after kidney transplantation. The patient had hypercalcaemia and persistent hyperparathyroidism. Thyroid papillary carcinoma was confirmed in the left thyroid nodules by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The right superior thyroid hypoechoic nodule was 1.2 cm in size and showed marked uptake of the tracer ^99mTcO₄-sestamibi during single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT); additionally, a cystic parathyroid lesion without tracer uptake was present behind the left superior pole of the thyroid. The histological examination demonstrated the coexistence of right intrathyroidal parathyroid adenomas, left cystic parathyroid nodular hyperplasia and multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma. At the 6-month follow-up, the serum calcium levels were within the normal range, and the patient's kidney function remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Simultaneous intrathyroidal parathyroid adenomas and multifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma in a patient with kidney transplantation is a rare clinical scenario. Physicians must be aware that the combination of functional (SPECT/CT) and structural (ultrasonography) imaging is highly successful in diagnosing patients with coexistent intrathyroidal parathyroid adenomas and papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 23: Mineral Metabolism and Beyond

Patients affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit a high risk of cardiovascular mortality that is poorly explained by traditional risk factors. There is a growing awareness about the role of derangement of mineral metabolism that is currently accepted as a trigger and sustainer of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in CKD patients. The synthetic definition of CKD mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) split the concept that the indexes of mineral metabolism extend their effects beyond the bone until the vascular wall and metabolic milieu of CKD patients through complex pathways. A better understanding of the biomarkers and mechanisms of left ventricular hypertrophy, CVD, inflammation, and chronic renal damage may help with the diagnosis and treatment of the systemic impairment that occurs secondary to CKD-MBD, thus slowing the progression of renal and CVD and improving patient survival. Recent insights into fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 have led to marked advancement in interpreting data on CVD and CKD progression ascribing to FGF23 a pivotal role in these pathologies independent of its co-receptor klotho and well beyond mineral metabolism. This review article will discuss the current experimental and clinical evidence regarding the role of FGF23 in physiology and pathophysiology of CKD and its associated complications with an emphasis on CVD.