Publications

Abstract BACKGROUND Renal fibrogenesis is associated with increased ECM remodeling and release of collagen fragments in urine in progressive renal disease. We investigated the diagnostic value of urinary collagen degradation products in a proteinuria-driven fibrosis rat model with and without anti-fibrotic S1P-receptor modulator FTY720 treatment. METHODS Proteinuria was induced in male Wistar rats by Adriamycin […]

Abstract PURPOSE The aim of this “Year in Review” article is to summarize and discuss the implications of biochemical marker related articles published between the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) 2015 Congress in Seattle and the OARSI 2016 Congress in Amsterdam. METHODS The PubMed/MEDLINE bibliographic database was searched using the combined keywords: ‘biomarker’ and ‘osteoarthritis’. […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow obstruction and loss of lung tissue mainly consisting of extracellular matrix (ECM). Three of the main ECM components are type I collagen, the main constituent in the interstitial matrix, type VI collagen, and elastin, the signature protein of the lungs. During pathological remodeling driven […]

Abstract Kidney allograft failure due to chronic injury/rejection remains the main cause of graft loss in renal transplant recipients (RTR). Here, we investigated whether specific biomarkers of extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover are associated with allograft function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage in RTR. Seventy-eight patients who attended the University Medical Center Groningen for a […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and early mortality. The underlying pathophysiological processes are not entirely understood but may include dysregulation of extracellular matrix formation with accelerated systemic and renal fibrosis. We assessed the relationship between endotrophin (ETP), a marker of collagen type VI […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Increased protease activity is a key pathological feature of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the differences in extracellular matrix remodelling (ECM) in Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are not well described. An increased understanding of the inflammatory processes may provide optimized disease monitoring and diagnostics. We investigated the tissue remodelling in […]

Abstract The last decade has seen a substantial increase in research focused on the identification of blood-based biomarkers that have utility in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Blood-based biomarkers have significant advantages of being time- and cost-efficient as well as reduced invasiveness and increased patient acceptance. Despite these advantages and increased research efforts, the field has been […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the lung tissue releases protein fragments into the blood, where they may be detected as serologic surrogate markers of disease activity in COPD. Our goal was to assess the association of ECM turnover with severity and outcome of COPD. METHODS In a prospective, observational, multicenter study including 506 […]

Abstract There are no approved treatments for liver fibrosis. To aid development of antifibrotic therapies, noninvasive biomarkers that can identify patients with progressive fibrosis and that permit monitoring of the response to antifibrotic therapy are much needed. Samples from a phase II antifibrotic trial of the glitazone farglitazar in patients with advanced hepatitis C, with […]

Abstract BACKGROUND While morphological patterns differ, the molecular phenotype of liver fibrosis is considered a stereotypical response to chronic liver injury. However, with different cellular triggers and networks regulating fibrosis, the molecular responses of the injured liver may not be identical. AIM To investigate whether differences in extracellular matrix (ECM) composition of the liver during […]