title: Megalin in acute kidney injury: foe and friend.
abstract: The kidney proximal tubule is a key target in many forms of acute kidney injury (AKI). The multiligand receptor megalin is responsible for the normal proximal tubule uptake of filtered molecules, including nephrotoxins, cytokines, and markers of AKI. By mediating the uptake of nephrotoxins, megalin plays an essential role in the development of some types of AKI. However, megalin also mediates the tubular uptake of molecules implicated in the protection against AKI, and changes in megalin expression have been demonstrated in AKI in animal models. Thus, modulation of megalin expression in response to AKI may be an important part of the tubule cell adaption to cellular protection and regeneration and should be further investigated as a potential target of intervention. This review explores current evidence linking megalin expression and function to the development, diagnosis, and progression of AKI as well as renal protection against AKI.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biomedicine, Aarhus Univ., Wilhelm Meyers Allé 3, Bldg. 1234, Aarhus DK-8000, Denmark. hb@ana.au.dk.
authors.forename: Ravikiran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahadevappa
authors.forename: Rikke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Erik Ilsø
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Birn
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D026561:Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D026561:Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-2; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins
keywords: acute kidney injury; biomarkers; cisplatin; megalin; nephrotoxins