title: Epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk alteration in kidney fibrosis.
abstract: The incidence of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) is constantly rising, reaching epidemic proportions in the western world and leading to an enormous threat, even to modern health-care systems, in industrialized countries. Therapies of CKD have greatly improved following the introduction of drugs targeting the renin-angiotensin system (RAAS) but even this refined pharmacological approach has failed to stop progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in many individuals. In vitro historical data and recent new findings have suggested that progression of renal fibrosis might occur as a result of an altered tubulo-interstitial microenvironment and, more specifically, as a result of an altered epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk. Here we the review biological findings that support the hypothesis of an altered cellular crosstalk in an injured local tubulo-interstitial microenvironment leading to renal disease progression. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: CV and Metabolic DTA Department, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland. marco.prunotto@gmail.com
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prunotto
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Budd
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gabbiani
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Formentini
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pomposiello
authors.forename: Solange
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moll
mesh_terms: D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D018450:Disease Progression; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000502:physiology*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000473:pathology; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology