Acute kidney injury causes a sharp decline in kidney function within hours to days.Symptoms include decreased urine output, swelling, and general malaise, which may lead to death.While the case fatality rate is high, until recently there was also recognition that it was a "curable disease."However, recent research has revealed that it is a disease with a poor prognosis that leads to the introduction of artificial dialysis, which has led to the transition to chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.It has been reported that the number of cases of dialysis induction is overwhelmingly higher than that of chronic renal failure alone.In acute kidney injury, the proximal tubule of the kidney is damaged.There is a wide range of disorders during the transition to chronic renal failure.It is clear from the cases that these changes in pathology occur, but the details of the mechanism have not been clarified.

　This time, Professor Yanagida's group proved that the damage to the proximal tubules seen in acute kidney injury spreads the pathological condition by changing the surrounding cells using a genetically modified animal that was originally created. ..Furthermore, it was revealed that the intensity and frequency of damage to the proximal tubule are factors in the transition to chronic kidney disease.

　This result suggests that proper treatment of acute renal impairment and maintaining the health of the proximal tubule may prevent the transition to chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.It is expected to lead to treatments that prevent or delay the introduction of dialysis.