A crystal-clear mechanism of chronic kidney disease

Abstract

Knauf et al. demonstrate that prolonged activation of the intrarenal inflammasome is responsible for the loss of kidney function in oxalate crystal nephropathy. These findings suggest new therapeutic opportunities for patients suffering from severe hereditary kidney diseases such as primary hyperoxaluria, and reveal a previously unappreciated general mechanism of kidney disease progression that may also contribute to conditions other than crystal nephropathy. © 2013 International Society of Nephrology.