Molecular Transcriptomics in Diagnosing Pediatric Kidney Transplant Rejection: the PANDA-Kids-ATLAS Study

Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age0-21
SponsorParis Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation

About this trial

Children with kidney failure have markedly increased mortality and face repeated transplantation over their lifetime due to limited allograft half-life (12-15 years). Current biopsy-based diagnoses of rejection (using Banff 2022 criteria) suffer from variability and limited sensitivity. PANDA-Kids-ATLAS will analyze up to 600 pediatric FFPE kidney biopsies across multiple centres using the Banff Human Organ Transplant (B-HOT) NanoString panel to develop and validate molecular classifiers of AMR, TCMR and related phenotypes. A secure REDCap database will integrate molecular, pathological and clinical data, aiming to improve early detection, personalize therapy, and enhance long-term graft survival and patient quality of life.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Age ≤ 21 years

Single kidney transplant recipients (deceased or living donor)

Written informed consent from patients/guardians

Disqualifiers

Multi-organ transplantation history

Biopsies with insufficient tissue

Trial population

Pediatric kidney transplant recipients

Trial design

Design model

Cohort

Time perspective

Retrospective

Treatments tested in this trial

Not listed

Trial groups

600 Participants
are grouped into 4 trial groups
Group A: Group 1: Classic rejection profile
Group B: Group 2: Other rejection profiles
Group C: Group 3: Other diagnoses
Group D: Group 4: Normal biopsies

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Identification of Molecular Classifiers for Kidney Allograft Rejection Using Banff Human Organ Transplant (B-HOT) Gene Panel via NanoString nCounter®

Molecular signatures (molecular classifiers) will be identified through bulk transcriptomic analysis utilizing the validated Banff Human Organ Transplant (B-HOT) gene panel, consisting of 770 rejection- and tolerance-related genes. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsy samples from pediatric kidney transplant recipients will be processed and analyzed using the NanoString nCounter® platform. Specifically, molecular classifiers distinguishing classical antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), T-cell mediated rejection (TCMR), and novel Banff 2022 antibody-mediated rejection-related categories-including microvascular inflammation with donor-specific antibodies and negative C4d staining (MVI+DSA-C4d-) and probable antibody-mediated rejection (pABMR)-will be quantified and reported. Classifier results will be summarized as normalized gene expression profiles, enabling clear discrimination among different categories of rejection and non-rejection biopsies.

Time frame
3 years

Secondary outcomes

1

Integration of Molecular Classifiers with Clinical Parameters into an Archetype-based Diagnostic System for Kidney Allograft Rejection

An archetype-based diagnostic framework will be generated by integrating transcriptomic molecular classifiers (quantified using NanoString nCounter® platform and Banff Human Organ Transplant (B-HOT) gene panel) with clinical parameters. Clinical parameters include patient demographics (age, sex), transplant characteristics, and clinical outcomes (e.g., serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, biopsy indication). The integrated diagnostic system will provide archetype-based patient profiles to enhance diagnostic precision and personalized clinical management. Aggregation will be performed using multidimensional modeling techniques (principal component analysis, cluster analyses) and classification algorithms (logistic regression, random forest), providing composite diagnostic archetypes. Unit of measure: Composite diagnostic archetype (multidimensional categorical profile)

Time frame
3 years
2

Integration of Molecular Classifiers with Biological and Immunological Parameters into an Archetype-based Diagnostic System for Kidney Allograft Rejection

An archetype-based multidimensional diagnostic framework will be developed by combining transcriptomic molecular classifiers (from the NanoString nCounter® platform and B-HOT gene panel) with biological and immunological parameters. Specifically, this will include immunological markers such as donor-specific antibodies (DSA), C4d staining, complement factors, and inflammatory biomarkers (e.g., cytokines, chemokines, immune cell subset analysis). The integration will be conducted through bioinformatics approaches and supervised machine learning models, culminating in archetypal patient classification based on immune and biological profiles. Unit of measure: Composite immuno-biological archetype (multidimensional categorical profile)

Time frame
3 years

Other outcomes

1

Correlation of Archetype-based Diagnostic Profiles with Kidney Allograft Clinical Outcomes

The correlation between archetype-based diagnostic profiles (derived from molecular, clinical, biological, and immunological data integration) and kidney allograft clinical outcomes will be assessed. Clinical outcomes include: 1) Incidence of acute rejection episodes (percentage \[%\] of patients experiencing biopsy-proven acute rejection, confirmed via Banff 2022 criteria). 2) Allograft survival rate (% graft survival, defined as a functioning graft without dialysis dependence or retransplantation). 3) Allograft function decline (rate of decline in eGFR \[mL/min/1.73 m²/year\], calculated from serum creatinine using the Schwartz pediatric formula). Each of these clinical outcomes will be individually correlated with the diagnostic archetype profiles using statistical analyses such as Kaplan-Meier survival curves, Cox proportional hazard models (for allograft survival and rejection-free survival), and regression analysis (for eGFR decline).

Time frame
3 years

Sponsors and contacts

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Paris Translational Research Center for Organ Transplantation

Lead sponsor

Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (Inserm U970)

Collaborator

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