News Releases & Research Results Energy dynamic imaging for living kidneys - Renal prognosis based on the energy metabolism of the proximal tubules -

The results of research and development conducted by Professor Motoko Yanagita, Associate Professor Masamichi Yamamoto, and Dr. Shinya Yamamoto of the Department of Nephrology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine.

• An ATP-visualized mouse line systemically expressing a PRET biosensor to visualize intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations was created for two-photon microscopic observation, thereby allowing high-precision real-time visualization of spatiotemporal ATP dynamics in the living kidneys for the first time in the world.
• The long-term renal prognosis of acute kidney injury could be determined based on transient reduction and subsequent recovery in ATP concentrations in the proximal tubules.
• The results of this R&D project should lead to new treatments for kidney diseases.

This program was implemented with the support of the Advanced Research & Development Programs for Medical Innovation (AMED-CREST) by AMED.

The results of this R&D project were published online in the international academic journal, Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, in October.

Yamamoto S., et al. Spatiotemporal ATP dynamics during acute kidney injury predicts renal prognosis Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2020050580