title: Considering TWEAK as a target for therapy in renal and vascular injury.
abstract: TWEAK is a cytokine of the TNF superfamily that activates the Fn14 receptor. TWEAK may regulate cell proliferation, cell death, cell differentiation, angiogenesis and inflammation. The expression of TWEAK and Fn14 is increased during vascular and renal injury. Inflammatory cytokines increase Fn14 receptor expression in tubular and vascular smooth muscle cells. Moreover, TWEAK induces tubular cell apoptosis under proinflammatory conditions. TWEAK itself contributes to renal and vascular inflammation by promoting chemokine and inflammatory cytokine secretion. Confirmation of its role in acute kidney injury and atherosclerotic lesions formation came from functional studies in experimental animal models. The available evidence suggests that TWEAK might be a target for therapeutic intervention in renal and vascular injury and its role in different forms of tissue damage should be further explored.
authors.affiliation: Vascular and Renal Research Lab, Fundacion Jimenez Diaz, Autonoma University, Instituto Reina Sofia de Investigaciones Nefrológicas, Av. Reyes Catolicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Ana Belén
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Muñoz García
authors.forename: Juan Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Maria Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sánchez Niño
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martín-Ventura
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egido
authors.forename: Luis Miguel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Blanco-Colio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D000074050:TWEAK Receptor; D000079424:Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C000613297:TNFRSF12A protein, human; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D000074050:TWEAK Receptor; D000079424:Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors