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Mechanism of Kemeng Fang's Inhibition of Podocyte Apoptosis in Rats with Membranous Nephropathy through the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway
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CRITICAL ROLE OF DYSREGULATED AUTOPHAGY IN PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF PODOCYTOPATHY
Claudio Ponticelli1, Gabriella Moroni2,3, Marta Calatroni2,3
1Independent researcher, via Ampere 126, 20131 Milan, Italy.
Kidney360
|April 16, 2026
Summary
Dysregulated autophagy contributes to podocytopathies, causing kidney damage and proteinuria. Restoring autophagy shows promise for treatment, but more clinical trials are needed for safer therapies.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Medicine
Background:
- Podocytopathies involve podocyte injury, leading to proteinuria and impaired kidney filtration.
- Autophagy is a crucial cellular process for degrading damaged components, vital for podocyte health.
- Dysfunctional autophagy is implicated in various podocytopathies like FSGS and diabetic nephropathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of autophagy in podocytopathies.
- To explore therapeutic strategies targeting autophagy for kidney diseases.
- To highlight the gap between preclinical findings and clinical application of autophagy modulators.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of experimental and clinical studies on autophagy in podocytopathies.
- Analysis of data on therapeutic interventions targeting autophagy.
- Evaluation of the clinical relevance and limitations of autophagy-modulating drugs.
Main Results:
- Autophagy is dysregulated in multiple podocytopathies, contributing to disease progression.
- Pharmacological and natural autophagy inducers can reduce proteinuria and improve podocyte function in preclinical models.
- Clinical trials are limited, and current therapies face challenges with adverse effects and long-term efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Autophagy modulation is a promising therapeutic avenue for podocytopathies.
- Further research and well-designed clinical trials are essential to develop safe and effective autophagy-targeting treatments.
- Addressing the limitations of current strategies is crucial for clinical translation.
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