2026
Epitranscriptomics in kidney disease: insights and therapeutic potential
Kidney Res Clin Pract. 2026 May;45(3):314-326.
Reviews how m⁶A RNA modification drives chronic kidney disease and renal fibrosis, highlighting it as a key molecular route regulating inflammation, metabolism and fibrosis. m⁶A RNA modification holds promise as a novel biomarker and precision therapeutic target in CKD, providing a foundation for emerging strategies such as RNA drugs and gene editing.
2026
Cell-Specific Roles of Angiopoietin-2 in CKD Collaborate with National Taiwan University Hospital using the TRTOI database
J Am Soc Nephrol. 2026 Apr 14. doi: 10.1681/ASN.0000001089.
This study establishes angiopoietin-2 as a key therapeutic target in CKD progression, with angiopoietin-2 from different cell sources playing distinct roles across disease stages, offering a new precision strategy. Angiopoietin-2 signaling could be inhibited in a stage-specific manner: blocking endothelial inflammation early and tubular fibrosis late to slow renal decline.
2026
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 mitigates acrolein-driven ferroptosis to preserve kidney function
Environ Pollut. 2026 Feb 1:390:127555.
This study shows that acrolein causes tubular injury by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis, a mechanism aggravated by the ALDH2 Glu504Lys variant common in East Asians. Activating ALDH2 effectively reduces oxidative stress, restores mitochondrial function and mitigates kidney injury, suggesting ALDH2 activators as candidate precision CKD therapies for East Asian populations.
2024
Associations of urinary fetuin-A with histopathology and kidney events in biopsy-proven kidney disease
Clin Kidney J. 2024 Mar 14;17(4):sfae065.
This study identifies urinary fetuin-A as a key biomarker reflecting pathological injury and progression in CKD, able to predict renal decline and major adverse kidney events. The findings support building a non-invasive precision-medicine tool that improves risk assessment and clinical care in CKD.
2024
CXCL5 inhibition ameliorates acute kidney injury and prevents the progression from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease
Clin Sci (Lond). 2024 Nov 20;138(22):1451-1466.
This study identifies CXCL5 as a key driver of progression from acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD), accelerating renal decline through oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis. Inhibiting CXCL5 effectively reduces acute tubular injury and slows AKI-to-CKD progression, indicating its potential as a biomarker and novel therapeutic target.
2024
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 preserves kidney function by countering acrolein-induced metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction
JCI Insight. 2024 Oct 8;9(19):e179871
This study clarifies how the ALDH2 variant common in East Asians promotes CKD progression and confirms the ALDH2–acrolein axis as a new therapeutic target. The findings provide an important scientific basis for precision CKD therapy and drug development for East Asian populations.
2024
Circulating Activin A, Kidney Fibrosis, and Adverse Events Best of ASN Journals 2024
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol (CJASN). 2024 Feb 1;19(2):169-177.
Analyzing 339 biopsy-confirmed TRTOI cohort patients, this study found plasma Activin A associated with tubulointerstitial fibrosis, renal INHBA expression and myofibroblasts, exploring its potential as a biomarker of kidney fibrosis.
2024
METTL3-Mediated N6-Methyladenosine mRNA Modification and cGAS-STING Pathway Activity in Kidney Fibrosis
J Am Soc Nephrol (JASN). 2024 Oct 1;35(10):1312-1329.
Analyzing 127 CKD specimens, this study found m6A modification and METTL3 expression markedly elevated, enhancing mRNA stability via the cGAS-STING pathway; tubule-specific Mettl3 knockout mice showed reduced inflammation and renal fibrosis.