The Kidney: An Organ in the Front Line of Oxidative Stress-Associated Pathologies

Abstract

Both acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are major causes of renal failure in humans and are associated with high incidences of morbidity and mortality rates. AKI and CKD are closely interconnected, and fueled by the obesity and diabetes epidemic, their prevalence is alarmingly increasing to the point that it currently represents a major heath issue worldwide. The kidney is an organ that is particularly sensitive to redox imbalance, resulting in excessive production of reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress is viewed as a critical pathogenic factor implicated in the initiation, development, and progression of most renal diseases. This Forum discusses the redox-dependent factors and mechanisms accounting for the perturbation of renal function and circulation in the context of the major kidney pathologies linked to hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 25, 639-641.

Keywords: oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; renal injury.

FIG. 1.

Overview of the redox pathways affecting renal function and circulation described in this Forum. The protective agents/pathways are indicated in green and the injurious agents/pathways in blue or purple. See text for details.