Receptor

Podocyte

Biology

Proteinuria

Kidney

Cell biology

Internal medicine

Pharmacology

Medicine

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery

Loss of normal kidney function affects more than 10% of the population and contributes to morbidity and mortality. Kidney diseases are currently treated with immunosuppressive agents, antihypertensives and diuretics with partial but limited success. Most kidney disease is characterized by breakdown of the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB). Specialized podocyte cells maintain the GFB, and structure–function experiments and studies of intercellular communication between the podocytes and other GFB cells, combined with advances from genetics and genomics, have laid the groundwork for a new generation of therapies that directly intervene at the GFB. These include inhibitors of apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1), short transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFLT1; also known as soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1), roundabout homologue 2 (ROBO2), endothelin receptor A, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator surface receptor (suPAR) and substrate intermediates for coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). These molecular targets converge on two key components of GFB biology: mitochondrial function and the actin–myosin contractile machinery. This Review discusses therapies and developments focused on maintaining GFB integrity, and the emerging questions in this evolving field. Numerous kidney diseases are characterized by a breakdown of the glomerular filtration barrier, which forms the interface between the blood and urine. In this Review, Daehn and Duffield discuss strategies to target components of this barrier, focusing on mechanisms to control mitochondrial function and the actin–myosin machinery, to improve kidney function in individuals with kidney diseases.

The glomerular filtration barrier: a structural target for novel kidney therapies