Submit a comment

Renal proximal tubule cells: power and finesse
Michaela A.A. Fuchs, Myles Wolf
Michaela A.A. Fuchs, Myles Wolf
View: Text | PDF
Commentary

Renal proximal tubule cells: power and finesse

Abstract

The proximal tubule is the high-capacity reabsorptive powerhouse of the kidney. Two papers in recent issues of the JCI highlight mechanisms of more delicate effects of the proximal tubule. Yoon et al. demonstrated the intracellular mechanism by which parathyroid hormone (PTH) increases production of 1,25-vitamin D. Activation of PTH receptor 1/cAMP/PKA signaling inhibited salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) and SIK3, which increased CYB27B1 transcription and 1,25-vitamin D production. Replication of these effects with small-molecule SIK inhibitors suggests possible therapeutic applications for patients with disorders characterized by 1,25-vitamin D deficiency. Zhou et al. discovered that proximal tubule glycolysis acts as a phosphate sensor that regulates fibroblast growth factor 23 production in bone. They described several kidney-specific metabolic modifications that enabled glycolysis to be deployed as a phosphate sensor. The provocative results raise intriguing questions with implications for patients with disorders of phosphate homeostasis, including chronic kidney disease.

Authors

Michaela A.A. Fuchs, Myles Wolf

×

Guidelines

The Editorial Board will only consider comments that are deemed relevant and of interest to readers. The Journal will not post data that have not been subjected to peer review; or a comment that is essentially a reiteration of another comment.

  • Comments appear on the Journal’s website and are linked from the original article’s web page.
  • Authors are notified by email if their comments are posted.
  • The Journal reserves the right to edit comments for length and clarity.
  • No appeals will be considered.
  • Comments are not indexed in PubMed.

Specific requirements

  • Maximum length, 400 words
  • Entered as plain text or HTML
  • Author’s name and email address, to be posted with the comment
  • Declaration of all potential conflicts of interest (even if these are not ultimately posted); see the Journal’s conflict-of-interest policy
  • Comments may not include figures
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
This field is required