Scientists have discovered that a tiny molecule made by gut bacteria can travel to the kidneys and cause serious damage, especially in people with diabetes.
The molecule, called corisin, may be a hidden cause of kidney scarring and failure—a common complication for people with long-term diabetes.
The new study was done by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Mie University in Japan, and was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Researchers found high levels of corisin in the blood of patients with diabetic kidney fibrosis, a condition where scar tissue builds up in the kidneys and damages their function. Corisin is made by a type of bacteria called Staphylococcus, which lives in the gut.
Using computer simulations, lab tests, and animal experiments, the team discovered how corisin travels from the gut to the kidneys. It attaches itself to a common blood protein called albumin, rides through the bloodstream, and then detaches when it reaches the kidneys.
Once there, it causes inflammation, cell damage, and eventually scar tissue—leading to kidney fibrosis.
Professor Isaac Cann from the University of Illinois and Dr. Esteban Gabazza from Mie University led the research. They explained that earlier studies showed corisin could damage other organs too, so they suspected it might also harm the kidneys.
The team first tested the blood and urine of patients with diabetic kidney disease and found much higher levels of corisin compared to healthy people. They also found that the more corisin someone had, the worse their kidney damage was. In experiments with mice, they saw the same pattern.
To prove corisin was the main cause of the damage, they gave some of the mice a special antibody that blocks corisin. The results were impressive: kidney cell aging slowed down and there was much less scar tissue.
Dr. Gabazza said that while this antibody treatment isn’t available for humans yet, it could become a new way to treat diabetic kidney disease in the future. Right now, treatments focus only on managing blood sugar and blood pressure. There is no cure that stops or reverses the kidney scarring process.
The next step for the team is to test corisin-blocking treatments in larger animals, such as pigs, to see if they’re safe and effective for humans. The universities involved have filed a joint patent on the antibody treatment.
According to the researchers, this discovery may lead to new therapies that could slow or stop kidney damage in people with diabetes—helping them live longer and healthier lives.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about Common statin drug linked to kidney damage and how drinking coffee can affect your kidney health.
For more health information, please read studies about important cause of kidney disease and Cruciferous vegetables may reverse kidney damage in diabetics.
The study is published in Nature Communications.
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