Calreticulin in renal fibrosis: A short review

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Molecular Biology
• Proteomics

Background:

• Fibrosis is a common pathological outcome across many diseases.
• Calreticulin has been identified as a critical factor in fibrotic processes in various organs.
• Understanding Calreticulin's role in renal fibrosis is crucial for developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in understanding Calreticulin's regulatory roles in renal fibrosis.
• To highlight novel findings on Calreticulin's involvement in kidney fibrosis initiation and progression.
• To identify potential therapeutic targets for treating renal fibrosis.

Main Methods:

• Proteomic screening to identify novel components in renal fibrosis.
• In vitro and in vivo studies to assess the impact of altered Calreticulin expression.
• Identification of upstream regulatory mechanisms, including the role of NR5A2 and SUMOylation.

Main Results:

• Calreticulin is associated with the initiation and progression of kidney fibrosis in a rodent model.
• Altered Calreticulin expression significantly affects fibrotic phenotypes in cellular and animal models.
• The orphan nuclear receptor NR5A2 and its SUMOylation regulate Calreticulin transcription in renal fibrosis.
• A correlation was found between increased Calreticulin and 14-3-3σ protein levels.

Conclusions:

• Calreticulin acts as a central node in a regulatory axis controlling renal fibrosis.
• NR5A2 represents a druggable target for modulating Calreticulin expression and mitigating fibrosis.
• These findings offer promising avenues for pharmacological interventions against fibrosis.