The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) may play a role in the treatment of patients with polycystic kidney disease. This has emerged from research by Laura Harskamp, for which she will receive her doctorate on Wednesday 5 April at the University of Groningen.
The drug tolvaptan has been available for several years to inhibit cyst formation in polycystic kidney disease. Because the drug has unpleasant side effects, there is a need for alternative treatments and the EGFR could play a role in this. To repair kidney damage, EGFR activation by growth factors – so-called ligands – is required. However, too much EGFR stimulation causes cyst formation in the kidneys.
Harskamp’s research shows that the EGFR ligand EGF is reduced in cystic kidney patients and lower in patients with more severe disease. In addition, she found that lower EGF was associated with decline in renal function in patients with polycystic kidney disease. These findings were supported by the fact that EGFR could be detected in renal cyst tissue. Furthermore, lower EGF levels were also found to be associated with an increased risk of rapid renal function loss and the development of chronic kidney disease in 2 general population cohorts.
Harskamp wrote her thesis entitled ‘The epidermal growth factor receptor pathway in polycystic kidney disease’ under the supervision of (co-)promoters Dr. Esther Meijer, Prof. Dr. Ron Gansevoort and Prof. Dr. Harry van Goor (all UMCG).
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