Review Articles

The plasma accumulation of uraemic solutes seen in chronic kidney disease is associated with dysregulated homeostasis. In this Review, Nigam and Bush discuss uraemic syndrome in the context of the remote sensing and signalling hypothesis, which describes small-molecule-mediated communication between tissues and organs.

Wilms tumour is the most common renal malignancy of childhood. Here, the authors review the genetic landscape of Wilms tumour and discuss how precision medicine guided by genomic information might lead to new therapeutic approaches and improve patient survival.

This Review presents our current understanding of C3 glomerulopathy. Smith et al. discuss the histopathological diagnosis and the crucial pathogenic role of complement dysregulation. Genetic and acquired drivers of C3 glomerulopathy, potential biomarkers and available treatments are highlighted.

Macrophages are versatile immune cells that protect the host against infection but can also promote chronic inflammation and fibrosis. In this Review, the authors discuss the diverse roles of macrophages in acute and chronic renal pathology as well as potential therapeutic targets.

Uraemic cardiomyopathy is the major phenotype of fatal cardiac disease in patients with end-stage renal disease. This Review focuses on the molecular mechanisms of uraemic cardiomyopathy, crosstalk between these mechanisms and implications for therapy

A growing body of evidence suggests that epigenetic regulation is involved in the process of acute kidney injury (AKI) and kidney repair. This Review provides a general overview of the main epigenetic mechanisms that have been linked to AKI and discusses the challenges and therapeutic implications of these findings.

The kidney is a highly vascularized organ and contains a remarkable diversity of endothelial cell populations. Here, the authors describe unique features of the healthy renal endothelium and the pathological mechanisms that can lead to endothelial damage in renal disease.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) regulates phosphate homeostasis by modulating renal phosphate absorption, vitamin D metabolism and parathyroid hormone secretion. In this Review, Marc Vervloet discusses the role of FGF23 on phosphate regulation as well as its additional effects in the cardiovascular and immune systems.

Klotho proteins are crucial elements of the receptor complex for the endocrine fibroblast growth factors FGF19, FGF21 and FGF23. In this Review, Makoto Kuro-o discusses the functions of the FGF–Klotho endocrine systems in health and disease, including their role in ageing-related disorders.

This Review describes the epidemiology and mechanisms underlying the reciprocal relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The authors also discuss recommended treatment approaches for patients with HCV infection and CKD, and outline remaining issues in the field.

Autoimmune diseases and kidney transplantation can result in immune-mediated kidney pathology. In this Review, the authors discuss the roles of effector and regulatory B cells and the efficacy of B cell-targeting therapies in these settings.

The complement system has a key role in inflammatory reactions that occur before, during and after transplantation. Here, the authors discuss this role and highlight current and future strategies to regulate complement activation and potentially improve outcomes in kidney transplantation.

This Review focuses on the epidemiology, pathogenesis and treatment of dyslipidaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease. The authors discuss emerging clinical data on the use of novel lipid-lowering agents and reappraise the 2013 KDIGO Guidelines for Lipid Management in CKD.

Here, Johnson and Xue describe various physiological and psychosocial challenges that lead to the sensitization of hypertension. These challenges drive neuroplasticity in the brain network controlling sympathetic tone and blood pressure, and provide a new paradigm for understanding essential hypertension.

Here, Lam and colleagues review advances in understanding the pathogenesis of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Although rapalogues are effective cytostatic treatments for TSC, the unique metabolic vulnerabilities of cells lacking hamartin and/or tuberin might represent opportunities for developing cytocidal treatments.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life-threatening complication in critically-ill neonates. This Review explores the evidence that intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth and low birth weight contribute to neonatal AKI, and discusses perinatal and postnatal risk factors that enhance the risk of AKI among neonates.

This Review explores the mechanistic links underlying the associations between HLA and kidney diseases. The authors discuss how these links might provide insights into disease pathogenesis and describe the clinical implications of these insights.

In this Review, Bonny and Firsov describe the circadian rhythmicity in various renal functions and how disruption or alteration of the circadian clock is associated with kidney dysfunction and disease.

In this plenary Review, Hoste and colleagues describe the global epidemiology of acute kidney injury (AKI). The influence of modifiable and non-modifiable AKI risk factors, delayed diagnosis, variation in diagnostic criteria and disparities in access to health care are also discussed.

In this Review, Caplan and colleagues describe the metabolic alterations in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and how these might be novel therapeutic targets in the treatment of polycystic kidney disease.