Intestinal Microbiota-Kidney Cross Talk in Acute Kidney Injury and Chronic Kidney Disease

The pathophysiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) involves multiple and overlapping immunological, biochemical, and hemodynamic mechanisms that modulate the effects of both the initial insult and the subsequent repair. Limited but recent experimental data have revealed that the intestinal microbiota significantly affects outcomes in AKI. Additional evidence shows significant changes in the intestinal microbiota in chronic kidney disease patients and in experimental AKI. In this minireview, we discuss the current status of the effect of intestinal microbiota on kidney diseases, the immunomodulatory effects of intestinal microbiota, and the potential mechanisms by which microbiota can modify kidney diseases and vice versa. We also propose future studies to clarify the role of intestinal microbiota in kidney diseases and to explore how the modification of gut microbiota may be a potential therapeutic tool. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel Published online: September 24, 2014 Hamid Rabb, MD Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine Johns Hopkins University, Ross 965, 720 Rutland Avenue Baltimore, MD 21205 (USA) E-Mail hrabb1 @ jhmi.edu © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel 1660–2110/14/1274–0139$39.50/0 www.karger.com/nec Changing Paradigms in Acute Kidney Injury: From Mechanisms to Management – Proceedings of the 5th Annual UAB-UCSD O’Brien Center Symposium (San Diego, Calif., USA, March 4, 2014).