Japanese researchers from Osaka and Kyushu Universities have uncovered biomarkers that could identify chronic kidney disease patients at risk of progressing to kidney failure. Earlier studies have found a correlation between kidney function and D-amino acids. These somewhat elusive mirror images of L-amino acids have been found in trace amounts in the blood, but they are difficult … Continue reading D-Amino Acids May Give Clues to Kidney Disease Progression
Early Warning Sign of Kidney Injury Found in Kids
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School have found high levels of toxins and a kidney injury biomarker in children in Mexico exposed to contaminated water. Urine samples of 107 children revealed arsenic and chromium at extremely high levels, well above the safety limits for adults. The arsenic probably came from contaminated tap water, but more research … Continue reading Early Warning Sign of Kidney Injury Found in Kids
Computer Modeling Points to New Drug Target for PKD
Researchers from Indiana University have made important discoveries about PKD cyst formation using virtual tissue technology. Building a virtual nephron, the scientists used computer simulation to show that PKD gene mutations caused errors in cell adhesion. When cells failed to stick together, they formed mushroom-shaped cysts. When cells stuck together, but failed to stop growing … Continue reading Computer Modeling Points to New Drug Target for PKD
Inflammation Linked to Diabetes After Transplant
Researchers have been unable to explain why up to 30 percent of organ transplant patients develop diabetes. Immunosuppressant drugs have topped the list of possible causes, leading doctors to believe that diabetes may be inevitable for some patients. A new study from Thomas Jefferson University in Pennsylvania reveals that the culprit may be inflammation caused … Continue reading Inflammation Linked to Diabetes After Transplant
Smoking Poses Kidney Risk for African Americans
While the link between smoking and kidney disease risk is well known, a new study from the University of Mississippi Medical Center shows that smoking may be particularly harmful for African Americans. The researchers were able to analyze kidney function and decline in 3,648 African Americans ranging in age from 21 to 84 years. They found that smokers … Continue reading Smoking Poses Kidney Risk for African Americans
Gut Bacteria Linked to Poor Health in Kidney Disease Patients
Scientists are only just beginning to learn the many ways our gut microbiota can contribute to both good health and disease. A research team from Belgium’s University Hospitals Leuven has uncovered a link between high levels of a gut bacterial metabolite called PAG (phenylacetylglutamine) and poor health in patients with chronic kidney disease. In their … Continue reading Gut Bacteria Linked to Poor Health in Kidney Disease Patients