Re-energizing the kidney: targeting fatty acid metabolism protects against kidney fibrosis

The kidneys have the highest basal energy consumption of any organ by weight, largely driven by the metabolic demands of solute resorption and secretion by renal tubules. Although some kidney cells such as podocytes use glucose as their primary energy substrate, tubular epithelial cells are dependent on β-oxidation of fatty acids in mitochondria, which generates far more ATP per molecule than glycolysis. Consequently, the renal tubules are second only to the heart in their content of mitochondria. 1 Console L. Scalise M. Giangregorio N. et al. The link between the mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation derangement and kidney injury. Front Physiol. 2020; 11: 794 Crossref PubMed Scopus (60) Google Scholar