A study, performed by a leading team of diabetes researchers at the University of Lincoln in the U.K., has found “how to target a problematic protein to help prevent kidney damage and significantly slow disease progression,” according to Medical Xpress, a medical and health news service.*

What they did

Dr. Claire Hills, an associate professor of the University of Lincoln’s School of Life Sciences, led a team of researchers to investigate a specific protein, connexin43 (Cx43), and the role it plays in causing chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Connexins are a type of protein that help kidney cells communicate among one another. When these proteins fail, it sets off a series of events that ultimately can lead to renal failure.

What they found

Cx43 is part of a process called tubulointerstitial renal fibrosis, which is a type of connective tissue that deposits onto the kidney’s functional tissue, resulting in eventual kidney failure. The researchers’ goal was to find a way to block Cx43, which they did so successfully with another protein, called Peptide 5.

In people with diabetes, peptide 5 was used to block small holes in the outer layer of kidney cells. By blocking these holes and reducing the release of “bad signals” from the kidneys, the researchers were able to control how the cells communicate and decrease the amount of inflammation typically associated with CKD.

Their results showed that they “improved human kidney cells exhibiting signs of disease, reducing the molecular “leakiness” caused by Cx43 and even restoring cell function.”

What this means

This groundbreaking study will have a large impact on the future of both people with CKD and people with diabetes. As the original study states, “Cx43 represents a viable therapeutic intervention for tubular damage in late stage CKD,” but it will also be able to help prevent kidney damage and slow disease progression on a much larger scale. 

Paul Squires, a fellow professor and researcher at the University of Lincoln, went on to say, “We are delighted that our results point to a druggable target for patients with CKD and offer hope of a potential new treatment in the future.”

For those interested, you can find the full study, “Blocking Connexin-43 mediated hemichannel activity protects against early tubular injury in experimental chronic kidney disease,” on the BioMed Central journal website.

*Berry, A. (2020, June 11). “Diabetes study finds new treatment target to prevent chronic kidney disease.” Medical Xpress.