Healing Switch Links Acute Kidney Injury to Fibrosis, Suggesting Way to Protect Kidney Function

Posted onMarch 7th, 2024byDr. Monica M. Bertagnolli

Healthykidneyspart of the urinary tractremove waste and help balance chemicals and fluids in the body. However, our kidneys have a limited ability to regenerate healthy tissue after sustaining injuries from conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Injured kidneys are often left with a mix of healthy and scarred tissue, or fibrosis, which over time can compromise their function and lead to chronic kidney disease or complete kidney failure.More than one in seven adults in the U.S. are estimated to have chronic kidney disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most without knowing it.

Now, a team of researchers led by Sanjeev Kumarat Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, has identified a key molecular switch that determines whether injured kidney tissue will heal or develop those damaging scars. Their findings, reported in the journalScience, could lead to new and less invasive ways to detect fibrosis in the kidneys. The research could also point toward a targeted therapeutic approach that might prevent or reverse scarring to protect kidney function.