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Kidney injury molecule-1

Joseph V Bonventre1, Li Yang

  • 1Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. joseph_bonventre@hms.harvard.edu

Current Opinion in Critical Care
|October 9, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) plays a role in kidney repair and serves as a sensitive biomarker for various kidney diseases. New findings highlight its potential in preclinical toxicity evaluation and as a therapeutic target.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Biomarker Discovery
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) is increasingly recognized for its potential pathophysiological role in kidney injury.
  • Evidence is rapidly accumulating regarding KIM-1's involvement in tubular damage and repair processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review novel findings on the physiological functions of KIM-1.
  • To assess the growing evidence supporting KIM-1 as a biomarker in preclinical kidney toxicity and human kidney diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of preclinical and clinical studies.
  • Analysis of research on KIM-1's role in kidney pathophysiology.

Main Results:

  • Urinary KIM-1 is a sensitive and specific biomarker for various kidney injuries, including nephrotoxic injury, cardiac surgery-induced acute kidney injury, transplant rejection, and chronic kidney diseases.
  • KIM-1 mediates epithelial phagocytosis in injured kidneys, transforming proximal epithelial cells into phagocytes.

Conclusions:

  • KIM-1 has significant pathophysiological implications for immune response modulation and repair post-kidney injury.
  • KIM-1 is a highly sensitive and specific urinary biomarker for kidney injury and a potential therapeutic target for kidney diseases.

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