Penn State College of Medicine Researcher Adds New Findings in the Area of Diabetes (Podocyte-Specific Expression of the Stress Response Protein REDD1 is Necessary for Diabetes-induced Podocytopenia).

A recent report from Penn State College of Medicine highlights the importance of the stress response protein REDD1 in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN), a leading cause of end-stage renal disease. The study found that podocyte-specific expression of REDD1 is necessary for diabetes-induced podocytopenia, a condition characterized by the loss of podocytes in the kidneys. Podocyte-specific REDD1 deletion protected against renal injury and preserved glomerular function in diabetic mice. These findings provide new insights into the role of REDD1 in renal pathology and suggest that targeting REDD1 in podocytes could be a potential therapeutic approach for DN. [Extracted from the article]