New Research Identifies Potential Drug Target to Prevent Kidney Failure
A recent study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine has uncovered a potential drug target to prevent kidney failure. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, highlights the role of retinoic acid receptors (RARa) in the proximal tubules of the kidney in limiting the damaging effects of kidney injury that often lead to kidney failure.
The findings from the study suggest that drugs capable of activating RARa in the kidney could counteract fibrosis, which is the buildup of scar tissue resulting from inflammation caused by conditions such as diabetes, autoimmune diseases, or viral infections like COVID-19, to effectively treat kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease, characterized by progressive renal fibrosis, often leads to kidney failure. Currently, the limited availability of drugs in the market leaves patients with prolonged, untreated kidney disease with the only options of undergoing dialysis or kidney replacement.
The kidneys play a crucial role in filtering blood to remove waste, which is then excreted in urine. Proximal tubules, an essential component of this process, are responsible for returning necessary substances back into the blood. The study emphasizes the significance of RARa in maintaining the health of proximal tubules and ensuring the proper functioning of the kidneys.
In the researchers’ mouse model, the knockout of RARa in the proximal tubules resulted in distressed mitochondria and cell death within three days. Furthermore, after three months, the study observed that epithelial cells in the proximal tubule secreted growth factors leading to fibrosis and decreased levels of retinoic acid, which normally binds to the RARa.
The development of drugs that can activate RARa in the kidney holds promise in slowing or reversing fibrosis and potentially restoring kidneys to a healthy state. The researchers are hopeful that their novel mouse model will aid in the identification of such drugs to prevent kidney failure.
Overall, the study’s findings provide valuable insights into potential interventions for kidney disease and offer hope for the development of new treatment strategies to combat kidney failure.
