LCN2 and acute kidney injury: Transcriptome and proteomic studies identified LCN2 to be one of the most upregulated genes and one of the most highly induced proteins in the kidney in animal models of AKI47,48 and CKD.30 Beyond its status as a biomarker and early predictor of AKI, data also suggested that LCN2 could serve as a biomarker in CKD.27 In a previous study, LCN2 was shown to lead to progressive renal failure31 and Lcn2 genetic deletion protected against CKD progression in 3/4 nephrectomized mice or jck mice with polycystic kidney disease.