Alkali therapy protects renal function, suppresses inflammation, and improves cellular metabolism in kidney disease
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 10-13% of the population worldwide and halting its progression is a major clinical challenge. Metabolic acidosis is both a consequence and a possible driver of CKD progression. Alkali therapy counteracts these effects in CKD patients, but underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here we show that bicarbonate supplementation protected renal function in a murine CKD model induced by an oxalate-rich diet. Alkali therapy had no effect on the aldosterone-endothelin axis but promoted levels of the anti-aging protein klotho; moreover, it suppressed adhesion molecules required for immune cell invasion along with reducing T-helper cell and inflammatory monocyte invasion. Comparing transcriptomes from the murine crystallopathy model and from human biopsies of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) suffering from acidosis with or without alkali therapy unveils parallel transcriptome responses mainly associated with lipid metabolism and oxidoreductase activity. Our data reveal novel pathways associated with acidosis in kidney disease and sensitive to alkali therapy and identifies potential targets through which alkali therapy may act on CKD and that may be amenable for more targeted therapies. Show more
Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
Clinical ScienceVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
Biochemical SocietySubject
acid-base balance; alkali therapy; chronic kidney disease; crystal nephropathy; inflammation; metabolismOrganisational unit
02207 - Functional Genomics Center Zurich / Functional Genomics Center Zurich
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