An Integrated View of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy: Update of the Literature.
The term "aristolochic acid nephropathy" (AAN) is used to include any form of toxic interstitial nephropathy that is caused either by ingestion of plants containing aristolochic acids (AA) as part of traditional phytotherapies (formerly known as "Chinese herbs nephropathy"), or by the environmental contaminants in food (Balkan endemic nephropathy). It is frequently associated with urothelial malignancies. Although products containing AA have been banned in most of countries, AAN cases remain regularly reported all over the world. Moreover, AAN incidence is probably highly underestimated given the presence of AA in traditional herbal remedies worldwide and the weak awareness of the disease. During these two past decades, animal models for AAN have been developed to investigate underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in AAN pathogenesis. Indeed, a more-in-depth understanding of these processes is essential to develop therapeutic strategies aimed to reduce the global and underestimated burden of this disease. In this regard, our purpose was to build a broad overview of what is currently known about AAN. To achieve this goal, we aimed to summarize the latest data available about underlying pathophysiological mechanisms leading to AAN development with a particular emphasis on the imbalance between vasoactive factors as well as a focus on the vascular events often not considered in AAN.
Molecular Physiology Research Unit-URPhyM, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur (UNamur), Namur 5000, Belgium. ines.jadot@unamur.be.
Inès
I
Jadot
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Mons 7000, Belgium. anne-emilie.decleves@umons.ac.be.
Anne-Emilie
AE
Declèves
Nephrology Department, Erasme Academic Hospital and Laboratory of Experimental Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels 1070, Belgium. joelle.nortier@erasme.ulb.ac.be.
Joëlle
J
Nortier
Molecular Physiology Research Unit-URPhyM, Namur Research Institute for Life Sciences (NARILIS), University of Namur (UNamur), Namur 5000, Belgium. nathalie.caron@unamur.be.
Nathalie
N
Caron
D000818:Animals; D034341:Aristolochic Acids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001449:Balkan Nephropathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001706:Biopsy; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000139:chemically induced; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress
D034341:Aristolochic Acids; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
Balkan endemic nephropathy; aristolochic acids; herbal remedies; renal interstitial fibrosis; urothelial carcinoma