Translating kidney fibrosis: Role of the EP₂ receptor

Predictive Value of Precision-Cut Kidney Slices as an Ex Vivo Screening Platform for Therapeutics in Human Renal Fibrosis

“…Despite great advances in preclinical research, many anti-fibrotics have failed to realize their potential in clinical trials, showing no or limited ability to ameliorate progressive renal disease. Precision-cut kidney slices (PCKS), as an ex vivo translational model, provide a unique opportunity for target validation in patient kidney tissues, which can complement and reinforce in vivo findings in animal models [43]. In this study, we prepared PCKS from murine and human, healthy and fibrotic, renal tissues and established the impact of species and pre-existing pathology on PCKS responses to injury and drug intervention.…”

D‐serine—A useful biomarker for renal injury?

“…Kidney fibrosis is known to play a major role in the development and progression of CKD. 19 The microbiome in the human body is involved in a variety of functions, 20,21 and has an influence on multiple aspects of host physiology. Thus, kidney function might be greatly dependent on the microbiome, and vice versa, and D-serine might induce different pathways in gut and kidney.…”

“…However, the levels of serum creatinine and BUN, as well as the extent of interstitial fibrosis were similar between the treated and the control groups. Kidney fibrosis is known to play a major role in the development and progression of CKD 19 . The microbiome in the human body is involved in a variety of functions, 20,21 and has an influence on multiple aspects of host physiology 22 .…”

Pregnancy

“…In-depth knowledge of developmental mechanisms of gene regulation does not only add to our abilities to care for pregnant women and aid a healthy start into human life. Reactivation of developmental gene expression patterns may also help us to better understand, for example, remodelling processes later in life, 18,19 or recognize embryonic or foetal mechanisms of, for example, fibrosis in the adult organism, with hopeful therapeutic perspectives 20,21 Other recent results with implications for perinatal healthcare include results on thyroid hormone dysregulation, which impairs both neuronal and glial cell development. 22 Also, during early human development, the mammalian circadian system develops gradually.…”

“…In‐depth knowledge of developmental mechanisms of gene regulation does not only add to our abilities to care for pregnant women and aid a healthy start into human life. Reactivation of developmental gene expression patterns may also help us to better understand, for example, remodelling processes later in life, 18,19 or recognize embryonic or foetal mechanisms of, for example, fibrosis in the adult organism, with hopeful therapeutic perspectives 20,21 …”