Piezo1 as a therapeutic target in kidney disease: emerging mechanistic insights and translational potential

Piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (Piezo1), a mechanosensitive ion channel, has emerged as a central regulator of mechanotransduction in renal physiology and pathology. Recent findings highlight its important role in fibrosis, podocyte injury, and alterations in vascular tone by converting mechanical stimuli into calcium-dependent signaling cascades. In experimental models of acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetic kidney disease (DKD), lupus nephritis (LN), and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Piezo1 activation was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of Piezo1, particularly with the blocker GsMTxa4, alleviates fibrosis and proteinuria, establishing Piezo1 as a promising mechanosensitive therapeutic target in kidney disease.