Nephrology articles from across Nature Portfolio

A new study describes the development of proteomics-based ageing clocks that calculate the biological age of specific organs and define features of extreme ageing associated with age-related diseases. Their findings support the notion that plasma proteins can be used to monitor the ageing rates of specific organs and disease progression.

This Review outlines the roles of innate and adaptive immune cells in hypertension. The authors discuss the mechanisms and important properties of immune cells that contribute to hypertension pathogenesis, such as memory and plasticity.

Basophils have been implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as evidenced by the fact that basophil-deficient mice do not develop the disease. Here, the authors demonstrate that PD-L1 and IL-4 expression in basophils promotes the pathogenic accumulation of follicular helper T cells in patients with SLE and murine models.

A new study describes the development of proteomics-based ageing clocks that calculate the biological age of specific organs and define features of extreme ageing associated with age-related diseases. Their findings support the notion that plasma proteins can be used to monitor the ageing rates of specific organs and disease progression.

Clinical algorithms that are used to guide medical decision-making often include sex as a variable. However, binary considerations of sex and/or gender might introduce bias due to potentially inaccurate assumptions about sex and gender-specific physiology, hormones and exposures. An equity-focused approach to sex and gender is essential when using clinical algorithms to ensure health equity across populations.

Clinical trial data suggest that thiazides and thiazide-like drugs could be beneficial for blood-pressure lowering in patients with severe chronic kidney disease. However, prolonged exposure to these photosensitizing drugs could translate into increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma and post-transplant diabetes in the already extremely vulnerable kidney transplant population.

Monogenic causes account for up to 20% of nephrolithiasis instances and are crucial for developing targeted treatments. Whole-exome sequencing, genome-wide association, candidate gene, and in vitro and animal functional studies are crucial to identify these mutations. Therapies targeting monogenic variants, such as RNA-interference-based treatments, have been successfully used to treat monogenic disorders.

The prevalence of kidney disease and its associated morbidity and mortality continue to rise. This crisis cannot be tackled unless kidney disease is made a global public health priority.

Kidney registries are essential to understanding the burden of kidney disease and facilitating the development of sustainable and effective programs for kidney disease prevention and care. Key barriers to implementation of registries at a global scale include funding and data quality. These issues warrant the attention of the global nephrology community.