This discovery could serve as a basis for identifying patients at risk, as well as for developing new approaches to treating heart failure in such individuals.
Researcher Uta Erdbreugger, a physician and scientist from the nephrology department at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, noted: “Kidney and heart problems often develop unnoticed, and they are usually detected only when serious damage has already occurred. Our results may help identify patients who are at risk of heart failure at earlier stages, allowing treatment to begin in time and improve outcomes.”
According to data from the National Institutes of Health, chronic kidney disease affects more than one in seven Americans, which amounts to about 35 million people. Of these patients, one in three suffers from diabetes, and one in five has hypertension.
Although the link between chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases is well known, determining the exact causes of this relationship has been challenging. This is largely due to the influence of common risk factors such as obesity and high blood pressure, which complicates the establishment of causal relationships.
Previously, scientists had not been able to identify a specific kidney risk factor that exerted a toxic effect on the heart. However, the new study identified the culprit: particles known as “circulating extracellular vesicles,” which are formed in damaged kidneys.
Extracellular vesicles, produced by almost all cells, play a key role in transporting proteins and other substances between cells. However, in the case of chronic kidney disease, these vesicles carry microRNA that negatively affects the heart.
In experiments on laboratory mice, blocking the circulation of these vesicles significantly improved heart function and reduced symptoms of heart failure. Additionally, plasma samples from both chronic kidney disease patients and healthy individuals were analyzed, confirming the presence of harmful vesicles in patients with kidney disease.
“Doctors have always been interested in how the kidneys and heart interact. We have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles formed in the kidneys can move to the heart and be toxic,” Erdbreugger reported, adding that this is just the beginning of their research into this interaction.
The results of this work open new possibilities for creating a blood test that can identify patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk of serious heart problems. Furthermore, there is a chance to target circulating vesicles to prevent their toxic effects on the heart.
“We hope to develop new biomarkers and treatment methods for patients with kidney diseases who are at risk of cardiovascular diseases,” the researcher concluded. “This could improve personalized medicine for patients with chronic kidney disease and heart failure, providing each individual with treatment tailored to their needs.”
