Molecular Mechanism of Common Forms of Kidney Disease Identified by Massachusetts General Hospital Researchers

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have identified a key mechanism underlying proteinuria – excess protein in the urine which signifies a breakdown in the kidney’s filtering process. They have discovered that a protein called dynamin is required for the function of a critical filtering structure called a podocyte and that a specific enzyme’s processing of dynamin will cause podocytes to break down, allowing protein to leak out of the bloodstream. In their report in the August Journal of Clinical Investigation, the researchers also describe how altered forms of dynamin may be able to block the process and restore kidney function.