Novel techniques to reduce progression of diabetic kidney disease discovered

Researchers from Bristol Medical School, in collaboration with international colleagues, aimed to understand how spironolactone prevents damage to the kidneys. They found that the drug has a protective effect by helping preserve the gel-like glycocalyx layer on the surface of blood vessels within the kidney. Using novel alternative therapeutics to slow down glycocalyx layer degradation in diabetes directly could now help them recreate the same effect but without adverse side effects.

To conduct this study, the team used patient kidney biopsy specimens to develop a novel method to measure glycocalyx depth changes to confirm that diabetes damages the endothelial glycocalyx layer, and spironolactone prevents this damage.

Their results showed spironolactone reduces the activity of a group of enzymes, called matrix metalloproteases, helping to preserve the gel-like glycocalyx layer on the surface of the blood vessels in the kidney, preventing disease progression.

Reference:

Dr Matthew Butler et al,Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism in diabetes reduces albuminuria by preserving the glomerular endothelial glycocalyx,JCI Insight