C-lysine proteomics demonstrated altered abundance and accelerated turnover of basement membrane components. Super-resolution imaging confirmed matrix protein disorganization, and peptide location fingerprinting mapped damage modifications across ∼40 matrix proteins, predicting fragmentation in collagens, laminins, and nidogens. Predicted matrix fragments were detectable in serum from children with Alport variants versus healthy controls, linking basement membrane turnover and fibrosis with clinically accessible biomarkers for CKD and other fibrotic disorders.
Preston et al. (2026) studied this question.