title: The role of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases.
abstract: High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear protein that can bind to DNA and act as a co-factor for gene transcription. When released into extracellular fluid, it plays a proinflammatory role by acting as a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule (DAMP) (also known as an alarmin) to initiate innate immune responses by activating multiple cell surface receptors such as the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and toll-like receptors (TLRs), TLR2, TLR4 or TLR9. This proinflammatory role is now considered to be important in the pathogenesis of a wide range of kidney diseases whether they result from hemodynamic changes, renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis, kidney tissue fibrosis or inflammation. This review summarizes our current understanding of the role of HMGB1 in kidney diseases and how the HMGB1-mediated signaling pathway may constitute a new strategy for the treatment of kidney diseases.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research Institute, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
authors.forename: Qingjie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research Institute, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research Institute, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
authors.forename: Xiaocong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research Institute, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
authors.forename: Jianglin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research Institute, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yin
keywords: Acute kidney injury; Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis; Chronic kidney disease; Clear cell renal cell carcinoma; Diabetic nephropathy; High mobility group box 1; Inflammation; Nephritis