title: Renal fibrosis in feline chronic kidney disease: known mediators and mechanisms of injury.
abstract: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common medical condition of ageing cats. In most cases the underlying aetiology is unknown, but the most frequently reported pathological diagnosis is renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Renal fibrosis, characterised by extensive accumulation of extra-cellular matrix within the interstitium, is thought to be the final common pathway for all kidney diseases and is the pathological lesion best correlated with function in both humans and cats. As a convergent pathway, renal fibrosis provides an ideal target for the treatment of CKD and knowledge of the underlying fibrotic process is essential for the future development of novel therapies. There are many mediators and mechanisms of renal fibrosis reported in the literature, of which only a few have been investigated in the cat. This article reviews the process of renal fibrosis and discusses the most commonly cited mediators and mechanisms of progressive renal injury, with particular focus on the potential significance to feline CKD.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UK. Electronic address: Jlawson@rvc.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.affiliation: Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Comparative Biomedical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London NW1 0TU, UK.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wheeler-Jones
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Syme
authors.affiliation: Clinical Sciences and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Rosanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jepson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D007668:Kidney / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Ageing; CKD; Phosphate; Proteinuria; TGF-beta