# The role of nesfatin-1 in kidney diseases

## TL;DR

Nesfatin-1 is a protein that may help detect and protect against kidney diseases, including diabetes-related kidney damage and cancer.

## Contribution

This paper reviews the emerging role of nesfatin-1 as a potential biomarker and protective agent in various kidney diseases.

## Key findings

- Nesfatin-1 levels are elevated in diabetic kidney disease patients, suggesting its potential as an early marker.
- Nesfatin-1 may protect kidneys by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death.
- Higher nesfatin-1 levels correlate with elevated blood pressure and may influence kidney cancer progression.

## Abstract

Nesfatin-1 is a recently discovered protein with a pleiotropic function on various organs, including kidneys. This molecule presents antiapoptotic, antihyperglycemic, antioxidative, and anorectic features. Available data regarding the role of nesfatin-1 in kidney function and diseases focuses on chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, blood pressure, and renal cell carcinoma. Various studies have shown that the levels of nesfatin-1 were increased in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD); therefore, it was suggested that nesfatin-1 might act as an early DKD marker. Furthermore, the potential protective function of nesfatin-1 against inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and apoptosis in kidney tissues was described in several studies. Alternatively, as reported in the literature, a positive correlation between blood pressure elevation and nesfatin-1 levels was noted. Moreover, nesfatin-1 might exert influence on renal cell carcinoma progression and invasion of cancerous cells. Nesfatin-1 shows considerable potential for acting as a prognostic marker or a defensive factor for kidney diseases; however, further investigation, especially in the pediatric population, is still required.

A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information

A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00467-024-06569-1.