Soft-tissue calcification is a prominent feature in both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and experimental Klotho deficiency, but whether Klotho deficiency is responsible for the calcification in CKD is unknown. Here, wild-type mice with CKD had very low renal, plasma, and urinary levels of Klotho. In humans, we observed a graded reduction in urinary Klotho starting at an early stage of CKD and progressing with loss of renal function. Despite induction of CKD, transgenic mice that overexpressed Klotho had preserved levels of Klotho, enhanced phosphaturia, better renal function, and much less calcification compared with wild-type mice with CKD. Conversely, Klotho-haploinsufficient mice with CKD had undetectable levels of Klotho, worse renal function, and severe calcification. The beneficial effect of Klotho on vascular calcification was a result of more than its effect on renal function and phosphatemia, suggesting a direct effect of Klotho on the vasculature. In vitro, Klotho suppressed Na ϩ -dependent uptake of phosphate and mineralization induced by high phosphate and preserved differentiation in vascular smooth muscle cells. In summary, Klotho is an early biomarker for CKD, and Klotho deficiency contributes to soft-tissue calcification in CKD. Klotho ameliorates vascular calcification by enhancing phosphaturia, preserving glomerular filtration, and directly inhibiting phosphate uptake by vascular smooth muscle. Replacement of Klotho may have therapeutic potential for CKD.

Klotho is an antiaging substance with pleiotropic actions including regulation of mineral metabolism. It is highly expressed in the kidney and is present in the circulation and urine but its role in acute kidney injury (AKI) is unknown. We found that ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) in rodents reduced Klotho in the kidneys, urine, and blood, all of which were restored upon recovery. Reduction in kidney and plasma Klotho levels were earlier than that of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a known biomarker of kidney injury. Patients with AKI were found to have drastic reductions in urinary Klotho. To examine whether Klotho has a pathogenic role, we induced IRI in mice with different endogenous Klotho levels ranging from heterozygous Klotho haploinsufficient, to wild-type (WT), to transgenic mice overexpressing Klotho. Klotho levels in AKI were lower in haploinsufficient and higher in transgenic compared with WT mice. The haploinsufficient mice had more extensive functional and histological alterations compared with WT mice, whereas these changes were milder in overexpressing transgenic mice, implying that Klotho is renoprotective. Rats with AKI given recombinant Klotho had higher Klotho protein, less kidney damage, and lower NGAL than rats with AKI given vehicle. Hence, AKI is a state of acute reversible Klotho deficiency, low Klotho exacerbates kidney injury and its restoration attenuates renal damage and promotes recovery from AKI. Thus, endogenous Klotho not only serves as an early biomarker for AKI but also functions as a renoprotective factor with therapeutic potential.

Synthetic antibody libraries harbor tremendous potential for a variety of biomedical and clinical applications. Using such a reagent, we furnish data in support of αKlotho deficiency in human CKD, and we set the foundation for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic applications of anti-αKlotho antibodies.

In 40 of 50 US states, scheduled dialysis is withheld from undocumented immigrants with end-stage renal disease (ESRD); instead, they receive intermittent emergency-only dialysis to treat life-threatening manifestations of ESRD. However, the comparative effectiveness of scheduled dialysis vs emergency-only dialysis and the influence of treatment on health outcomes, utilization, and costs is uncertain. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of scheduled vs emergency-only dialysis with regard to health outcomes, utilization, and costs in undocumented immigrants with ESRD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Observational cohort study of 181 eligible adults with ESRD receiving emergency-only dialysis in Dallas, Texas, who became newly eligible and applied for private commercial health insurance in February 2015; 105 received coverage and were enrolled in scheduled dialysis; 76 were not enrolled in insurance for nonclinical reasons (eg, lack of capacity at a participating outpatient dialysis center) and remained uninsured, receiving emergency-only dialysis. We examined data on eligible persons during a 6-month period prior to enrollment (baseline period,

Adenosine is an autacoid that regulates renal Na