April 2005
New kidney protein regulates heart rate and blood pressure
Editors' pick
The kidney is important for regulating fluid and electrolyte balance, and it also secretes proteins that have important biological roles. In a study appearing online on April 7 in advance of the print publication of the May 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Jianchao Xu and colleagues from Yale University searched for novel proteins secreted by the kidney.
The researchers have identified a new protein, called renalase. Renalase is secreted by the kidney into the blood and regulates heart rate and blood pressure. Interestingly, renalase levels are markedly reduced in patients with end-stage kidney disease as compared to healthy subjects. Therefore, there may be a causal link between reduced renalase and the increased cardiovascular risk that is often seen in patients with renal disease
The identification of renalase not only provides a more complete understanding of renal and cardiovascular physiology, but could also lead to the development of novel therapies for patients with chronic kidney disease.
TITLE: Renalase: a novel, soluble monoamine oxidase that regulates cardiac function and blood pressure
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Jianchao Xu
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
Phone: (203) 932-5711, extension 2542; Fax: (203) 785-4904; E-mail: [email protected]
View the PDF of this article at: https://www.the-jci.org/article.php?id=24066