Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Whole Kidney, Medulla, and Cortical Tubules in Diabetic Pathogenesis of Kidney Injury in Mice
10:31

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Whole Kidney, Medulla, and Cortical Tubules in Diabetic Pathogenesis of Kidney Injury in Mice

Published on: May 2, 2025

810

DNA Damage and Epigenetic Changes in Kidney Diseases - Focused on Transcription Factors in Podocytes

Kaori Hayashi1, Akihito Hishikawa, Hiroshi Itoh

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjukuku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. kaorihayashi@keio.jp.

Current Hypertension Reviews
|March 3, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic changes, driven by DNA damage and impaired repair, contribute to cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Transcription factor KLF4 shows therapeutic potential for proteinuric kidney diseases via epigenetic mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics and Molecular Medicine
  • Nephrology and Cardiovascular Research

Background:

  • Epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, heart failure, hypertension, and kidney diseases.
  • Chronic diseases involve DNA damage and repair processes; accumulated damage and impaired repair can lead to epigenetic alterations contributing to disease onset and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of DNA damage repair systems and epigenetic modulators in disease states.
  • To explore potential epigenetic therapy targets for kidney diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Focus on DNA damage repair mechanisms and epigenetic modulators in disease contexts.
  • Review of existing literature on transcription factor KLF4 and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers in kidney disease.

Main Results:

  • Therapeutic effects of transcription factor KLF4 in kidney glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) on proteinuric kidney diseases were demonstrated through epigenetic mechanisms.
  • Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers were found to partially restore epigenetic changes via KLF4, suggesting RAS activation contributes to epigenetic alterations in disease.

Conclusions:

  • Transcription factors, like KLF4, represent potential targets for selective epigenetic therapy.
  • Elucidating the precise mechanisms of RAS-induced epigenetic changes may lead to novel therapeutic targets for kidney diseases.

More Related Videos

Guided Differentiation of Mature Kidney Podocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Under Chemically Defined Conditions08:06

Guided Differentiation of Mature Kidney Podocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Under Chemically Defined Conditions

Published on: July 2, 2020

5.2K
Identification of the Source of Secreted Proteins in the Kidney by Brefeldin A Injection10:15

Identification of the Source of Secreted Proteins in the Kidney by Brefeldin A Injection

Published on: November 10, 2021

2.3K

Related Concept Videos

Nephrons01:10

Nephrons

The kidneys are intricate organs with millions of working units known as nephrons. Each nephron features two major structures: the renal corpuscle, which facilitates blood plasma filtration, and the renal tubule, which handles the glomerular filtrate. Blood supply is directly linked to the nephrons. The renal corpuscle consists of the glomerulus, a capillary network, and the Bowman's capsule, a double-walled epithelial structure that encases the glomerulus. The filtering of blood plasma...
8.4K
Chronic Kidney Disease I: Introduction01:25

Chronic Kidney Disease I: Introduction

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) arises when the kidneys progressively lose their ability to function, ultimately leading to end-stage renal disease. At this advanced stage, the kidneys can no longer filter waste or maintain essential body functions, requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) through dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival.Early-stage chronic kidney disease and detection challengesIn CKD's early stages, symptoms often remain absent because healthy nephrons compensate for...
1.1K
Acute Kidney Injury II: Pathophysiology01:29

Acute Kidney Injury II: Pathophysiology

Acute kidney injury (AKI) causes are categorized into three primary categories based on the location of the injury: prerenal, intrarenal (or intrinsic), and postrenal causes. This classification guides clinical management and illustrates how different pathways can impair kidney function.Etiology and Pathophysiology of Acute Kidney Injury1. Prerenal causesEtiology: Prerenal Acute Kidney Injury, the most common type, occurs when reduced blood flow to the kidneys decreases filtration capacity...
1.8K
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
4.1K
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
34.2K
Renal Corpuscle01:20

Renal Corpuscle

The glomerulus and Bowman's capsule are two essential components of the nephron, which is the functional unit of the kidney. These microscopic structures play a critical role in the process of blood filtration to produce urine.
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous...
8.5K