Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151670
David M. Burmeister PhD , Julia N. Nguyen MD , Ian J. Stewart MD
{"title":"Lessons Learned From Large Animal Models of Trauma-Induced AKI","authors":"David M. Burmeister PhD , Julia N. Nguyen MD , Ian J. Stewart MD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151670","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151670","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a relatively common complication of trauma and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in clinical studies. Given logistical and cost constraints, the majority of animal research on trauma-induced AKI is done in small animal models. However, large animal models have significant advantages from a scientific standpoint compared to small animal models because their size and anatomy are more analogous to humans. This review discusses a variety of trauma models in dogs, sheep, pigs, and nonhuman primates and the impact on AKI in several settings: hemorrhagic shock, ischemia-reperfusion injury, rhabdomyolysis, extracorporeal therapies, burns, and polytrauma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"46 1","pages":"Article 151670"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145213648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-09-29DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151676
Prisha S. Patel MD , Navjot S. Pabla PhD , Amandeep Bajwa PhD
{"title":"Therapeutic Approaches Involving Mitochondria in the Treatment of Acute Kidney Injury","authors":"Prisha S. Patel MD , Navjot S. Pabla PhD , Amandeep Bajwa PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151676","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151676","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute kidney injury (AKI) continues to pose a significant clinical burden, characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. Emerging evidence has established mitochondrial dysfunction as a central driver in the pathogenesis of AKI, encompassing deficits in bioenergetics, excessive production of reactive oxygen species, and disruption of mitochondrial dynamics. Therapeutic interventions targeting mitochondrial pathways—most notably peptide-based agents such as SS-31—have demonstrated promising results in preclinical models. Recent discoveries have identified phospholipid scramblase 3 (PLSCR3) as an essential mediator of SS-31′s mitochondrial protective effects, positioning it as a novel therapeutic target. This review synthesizes current mitochondrial-directed approaches for AKI, with a particular emphasis on the mechanistic role of PLSCR3 in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and injury responses. Despite encouraging data, mitochondrial therapies face several translational hurdles, including limited bioavailability, challenges in establishing effective dosing regimens, incomplete mechanistic understanding, and variability in efficacy across different experimental models. Moreover, concerns regarding cost, accessibility, and long-term safety remain unresolved, contributing to inconsistent outcomes in clinical trials. Herein we evaluate the emerging role of PLSCR3 as a potentially druggable mitochondrial target, supported by recent genetic, biochemical, and <em>in vivo</em> evidence, and discuss translational strategies that may bridge the gap between experimental promise and clinical application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"46 1","pages":"Article 151676"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145200959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Using Predictive Models and AI for AKI Research","authors":"Madhumitha Rajagopal MD, PhD , Lili Chan MD, MSCR , Girish N. Nadkarni MD, MPH","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute kidney injury (AKI), a drop in kidney function with multiple etiologies, is a common complication in hospitalized patients and is associated with poorer patient outcomes. With the advent of electronic health records, machine learning algorithms have been developed that can predict the incidence and severity of AKI, AKI persistence, as well as patient outcomes like mortality and the need for kidney replacement therapies. Furthermore, it can risk-stratify patients based on early presentations to aid with clinical management. Newer technologies like natural language processing and generative artificial intelligence (AI) (e.g., ChatGPT) also show promise in the realm of AKI prediction and management. This review provides an overview of the role of AI in adults with AKI, as well as explores some limitations and ethical considerations that need to be addressed as we move forward.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"46 1","pages":"Article 151673"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145259093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-11-04DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151672
Dana Hammouri PhD , Theresa Weis BS , Leah J. Siskind PhD
{"title":"Macrophage Plasticity and Functional Dynamics in Acute Kidney Injury and Its Progression to Chronic Kidney Disease","authors":"Dana Hammouri PhD , Theresa Weis BS , Leah J. Siskind PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151672","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are increasingly recognized as interconnected syndromes with overlapping pathophysiological mechanisms. A growing body of evidence suggests that macrophages are central regulators of the AKI-to-CKD transition, influencing both injury and repair through dynamic, microenvironment-dependent phenotypic shifts. M1-like macrophages dominate early injury responses in AKI, while M2-like macrophages can adopt a pro-fibrotic phenotype potentially contributing to the progression of CKD. Beyond this classical dichotomy, single-cell and spatial transcriptomic studies reveal a complex spectrum of macrophage states shaped by origin, tissue niche, temporal dynamics, and intercellular signaling. This review summarizes the current understanding of macrophage ontogeny, heterogeneity, and functional specialization in AKI and progression to CKD. We highlight how macrophages respond to local cues, engage in crosstalk with other cell types, and mediate phase-specific effects on inflammation and tissue remodeling. We also evaluate the consequences of macrophage depletion in AKI and the progression of AKI to CKD, highlighting divergent outcomes. Advancing our understanding of macrophage complexity is essential for developing precise immunomodulatory strategies for treating AKI and preventing CKD progression. By disentangling the context-specific roles of macrophages, future therapies can be tailored to attenuate pathogenic responses without compromising essential reparative functions, ultimately improving long-term renal outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"46 1","pages":"Article 151672"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145452855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-10DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151675
David A. Bastos BS , Lisa O. Oti BS , Carla L. Ellis MD , Shayna T.J. Bradford PhD
{"title":"Toward Combinatorial Strategies to Improve Proximal Tubule Recovery Following Acute Kidney Injury","authors":"David A. Bastos BS , Lisa O. Oti BS , Carla L. Ellis MD , Shayna T.J. Bradford PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maintaining kidney health throughout the human lifespan remains a significant global challenge. Worldwide, an estimated 850 million people have some level of kidney disease, with many unaware because of asymptomatic progression. Whether initiated by acute or chronic insults, renal injury and disease can have life-threatening consequences requiring interventions spanning the gamut of supportive care to kidney replacement therapies. Design of precision therapeutics is likely to benefit from understanding the heterogenous cell types and states that arise in the context of kidney injury and disease. Here we review an array of cellular states that have been detected following acute ischemic kidney injury, hypothesized to promote transition to chronic kidney disease. We focused on studies describing the cellular states of the proximal tubule (PT), a segment of the nephron most vulnerable to ischemic injury. PT cells have been shown in preclinical animal studies to have a heterogeneous response to ischemic injury, including repaired and failed-repair cellular states, inter alia. We end by discussing targeting these cellular states and/or pathological processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"46 1","pages":"Article 151675"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145275601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151671
Sarah R. McLarnon PhD, Pierre-Emmanuel Y. N’Guetta BS, Lori L. O’Brien PhD
{"title":"Innovative Technologies for Kidney Research: Three-Dimensional Imaging and Quantification","authors":"Sarah R. McLarnon PhD, Pierre-Emmanuel Y. N’Guetta BS, Lori L. O’Brien PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Image analysis has played a critical role in our understanding of kidney morphology, function, and disease. This analysis has been historically limited to visualizing defined regions within the kidney in two dimensions. However, in recent years, significant advancements in microscopy have facilitated three-dimensional imaging and analysis of large tissue specimens and, in some cases, whole organs or organism. The use of these microscopy techniques combined with tissue-clearing strategies has resulted in detailed, multidimensional views of complex structures and processes within the kidney. This review discusses advanced light microscopy applications and optical clearing protocols that have been successfully modified for use in the kidney. Furthermore, this review will highlight how quantification of three-dimensional images has been applied in the kidney and thus contributed to novel spatiotemporal insights.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"46 1","pages":"Article 151671"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145213646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-08-30DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151662
Kelly A. Hyndman PhD, Leah J. Siskind PhD, Mark de Caestecker MB BS, PhD
{"title":"Introduction: The 2025 American Society of Nephrology Third Acute Kidney Injury: Bench to Bedside Conference","authors":"Kelly A. Hyndman PhD, Leah J. Siskind PhD, Mark de Caestecker MB BS, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151662","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151662","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"45 6","pages":"Article 151662"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144967505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-08-24DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151669
Alex Gonzalez BS, Rachel Delgado BS, Mark P. de Caestecker MB, BS, PhD
{"title":"Regenerative Versus Nonregenerative Repair of the Renal Medulla After Reversal of Ureteral Obstruction","authors":"Alex Gonzalez BS, Rachel Delgado BS, Mark P. de Caestecker MB, BS, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151669","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151669","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many patients with urinary obstruction have an accelerated decline in renal function despite early urologic interventions. They also have defects in urinary concentrating capacity that may predispose them to acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Because urinary concentrating capacity depends on having intact solute concentrating mechanisms in the renal medulla, it is likely that this results from obstruction-induced abnormalities in renal medullary structure, function, or both. This review focuses on findings from a recent study characterizing the long-term effects of reversible unilateral ureteral obstruction in mice that address these questions. These findings show that there is delayed long-term growth of the inner medulla, which is initially shrunken, that results in complete restoration of inner medullary size and gross tissue architecture 3 months after reversal of the obstruction. More detailed analysis shows that despite relatively normal histologic appearances, there are permanent defects in the cellular organization and function of the medulla that account for the loss of urinary concentrating capacity. We discuss the extent to which regenerative versus nonregenerative repair mechanisms may contribute to the growth and functional recovery of the renal medulla and consider how these findings shed light on the mechanisms of tissue repair and dysfunction after reversal of urinary obstruction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"45 6","pages":"Article 151669"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144967541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-09-10DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151665
James D. Odum MD, MEd , Denise C. Hasson MD , Natalja L. Stanski MD, MS , Hernando Gómez MD, MPH , Danielle E. Soranno MD
{"title":"The Clinical View of Sepsis-Associated AKI: How Basic Science Can Help Solve This Problem","authors":"James D. Odum MD, MEd , Denise C. Hasson MD , Natalja L. Stanski MD, MS , Hernando Gómez MD, MPH , Danielle E. Soranno MD","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global health impact of sepsis is difficult to understate. As a complication of sepsis, the development of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) significantly increases the risk of mortality. Although several epidemiological risk factors for SA-AKI are known, the heterogeneity of this syndrome—across patients, pathogens, and treatment responses—has hindered therapeutic innovation and contributed to persistently poor outcomes. Precision medicine offers a promising framework to address this complexity, yet a substantial translational gap remains between mechanistic insights from preclinical models and the therapeutic strategies used in clinical practice. To bridge this gap, researchers should consider aligning preclinical models with human sepsis and embrace SA-AKI heterogeneity to identify treatable, mechanistically informed subtypes (endotypes). These efforts could enable the development of personalized therapies aimed at reducing the burden of SA-AKI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"45 6","pages":"Article 151665"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Seminars in nephrologyPub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-09-11DOI: 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151667
Kevin G. Burfeind MD, PhD , Daiki Aomura MD, PhD , Jessica F. Hebert PhD , Michael P. Hutchens MD, MA
{"title":"When the Heart Hurts the Kidneys: From Flow to Translational Future","authors":"Kevin G. Burfeind MD, PhD , Daiki Aomura MD, PhD , Jessica F. Hebert PhD , Michael P. Hutchens MD, MA","doi":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151667","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.semnephrol.2025.151667","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute cardiorenal syndrome (cardiorenal syndrome type 1, CRS1) is a common complication of the most common cause of death, cardiovascular disease, and therefore is of considerable importance. Foundational research over the last 100 years detailed the elegant interplay between cardiovascular function and tubuloglomerular feedback that underpins the classic description of CRS1. However, as research into acute kidney injury has elucidated important modifying factors in sex difference, immune regulation, and proximal tubule function, these areas are ripe for investigation in CRS1. Here, we briefly review the nascent state of knowledge regarding CRS1 in women and sex differences, immune contributions, and proximal tubule transport function.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21756,"journal":{"name":"Seminars in nephrology","volume":"45 6","pages":"Article 151667"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}