Role of histone modifications in the development of acute kidney injury

Abstract

Acute kidney injury (AKI) appears as a serious public health issue that remains associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality. A lot of research has been carried out to understand the complex pathogenesis of AKI, but only supportive therapies are available. Growing evidence has demonstrated the vital role of epigenetic regulation in gene expression under the pathogenesis of AKI. In this chapter, we discuss the current advances in the epigenetic regulation of AKI and offer mechanistic insight into the role of histone modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and crotonylation in the pathological development of AKI. Moreover, this chapter emphasizes histone modifications as a putative therapeutic target for the treatment of AKI. In the future, rigorous investigation of epigenetics is needed to provide a better understanding of the pathophysiology of AKI, thereby giving newer insight into the treatment of AKI.