Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA in Kidney Transplantation as a Potential Rejection Biomarker: A Systematic Literature Review

Kidney transplantation (KTx) is the best treatment method for end-stage kidney disease. KTx improves the patient’s quality of life and prolongs their survival time; however, not all patients benefit fully from the transplantation procedure. For some patients, a problem is the premature loss of graft function due to immunological or non-immunological factors. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is degraded deoxyribonucleic acid fragments that are released into the blood and other body fluids. Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) is cfDNA that is exogenous to the patient and comes from a transplanted organ. As opposed to an invasive biopsy, dd-cfDNA can be detected by a non-invasive analysis of a sample. The increase in dd-cfDNA concentration occurs even before the creatinine level starts rising, which may enable early diagnosis of transplant injury and adequate treatment to avoid premature graft loss. In this paper, we summarise the latest promising results related to cfDNA in transplant patients.