New publication in Science Translational Medicine: YAP activation in podocytes drives crescentic glomerulonephritis
A new study led by the teams of Fabiola Terzi and Marco Pontoglio, recently published in Science Translational Medicine, sheds light on the mechanisms underlying crescentic glomerulonephritis (cGN), a rare and severe kidney disease.
The research reveals that hyperactivation of YAP, a key mechanosensor in the Hippo signaling pathway, in kidney podocytes leads to cellular hypertrophy and induces proliferation of parietal epithelial cells (PECs). This interaction ultimately drives the formation of crescents, a hallmark of cGN pathology.
Using a combination of transgenic mouse models and transcriptomic analyses, the study identifies CTGF and HB-EGF as potential mediators of the YAP-activated podocytes-PEC cross-talk. These findings not only expand the understanding of podocyte biology under stress but also open new avenues for targeted therapies in cGN, where current treatment options remain limited.