Kidney fibrosis: Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies

Barbara Mara Klinkhammer; Peter Boor

doi:10.1016/j.mam.2023.101206

Kidney fibrosis: Emerging diagnostic and therapeutic strategies

Mol Aspects Med. 2023 Oct:93:101206. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101206. Epub 2023 Aug 3.

Authors

Barbara Mara Klinkhammer¹, Peter Boor²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: bklinkhammer@ukaachen.de.
² Institute of Pathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany; Electron Microscopy Facility, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany; Division of Nephrology and Immunology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: pboor@ukaachen.de.

PMID: 37541106
DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101206

Abstract

An increasing number of patients worldwide suffers from chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is accompanied by kidney fibrosis, which affects all compartments of the kidney, i.e., the glomeruli, tubulointerstitium, and vasculature. Fibrosis is the best predictor of progression of kidney diseases. Currently, there is no specific anti-fibrotic therapy for kidney patients and invasive renal biopsy remains the only option for specific detection and quantification of kidney fibrosis. Here we review emerging diagnostic approaches and potential therapeutic options for fibrosis. We discuss how translational research could help to establish fibrosis-specific endpoints for clinical trials, leading to improved patient stratification and potentially companion diagnostics, and facilitating and optimizing development of novel anti-fibrotic therapies for kidney patients.

Keywords: Elastography; Liquid biomarker; Non-invasive imaging; Precision medicine; SGLT-2.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Fibrosis
Humans
Kidney*
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / diagnosis
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic* / pathology
Signal Transduction