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Epigenetic Alterations in Podocytes in Diabetic Nephropathy
Erina Sugita1, Kaori Hayashi1, Akihito Hishikawa1
1Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
|October 11, 2021
Summary
Epigenetic alterations and DNA damage in kidney podocytes are key to diabetic nephropathy. Detecting these changes in patients may help estimate kidney damage and guide new therapies for end-stage renal disease.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Epigenetics
- Diabetology
Background:
- Diabetic nephropathy is a major complication of diabetes, leading to chronic kidney disease.
- Kidney podocytes are crucial for kidney function and are terminally differentiated, making them vulnerable to damage.
- Epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation, are increasingly recognized in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, in podocytes during diabetic nephropathy.
- To discuss the association between DNA damage repair and epigenetic alterations in diabetic podocytes.
- To explore the potential of detecting these epigenetic and DNA damage markers in human samples for prognosis and therapy.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on epigenetic modifications in diabetic nephropathy.
- Focus on DNA methylation and DNA damage in kidney podocytes.
- Analysis of detection methods using human kidney biopsies and urine-derived cells.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic changes, especially DNA methylation, are implicated in podocyte dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy.
- High glucose conditions increase DNA damage in podocytes, which is linked to epigenetic alterations.
- Epigenetic memory in diabetes contributes to disease progression.
Conclusions:
- Detecting podocyte epigenetic changes and DNA damage in human samples offers a promising strategy for assessing kidney damage and prognosis in diabetic patients.
- Targeting these epigenetic alterations and DNA damage presents a novel therapeutic avenue to prevent the progression of diabetic nephropathy to end-stage renal disease.
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