Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an emerging national health issue in Japan. Recently, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors and the mineralocorticoid antagonist Finerenone have been approved for treatment against CKD, including diabetic nephropathy. However, the current pharmacotherapy options for patients with kidney diseases remain limited. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CKD remain unclear.
Podocytes are highly differentiated cells that play a critical role in the ultrafiltration system, together with endothelial cells and the glomerular basement membrane in the glomerulus. We have provided the first evidence that transcription factor old astrocyte specifically induced substance (OASIS) in myofibroblasts promotes kidney fibrosis. Additionally, we discovered that OASIS is also expressed in podocytes. We demonstrated that the upregulation of OASIS in podocytes contributes to kidney injury. This presentation will focus on our findings regarding the role of OASIS in podocytes.
We hope that our findings will contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies against CKD.