Still finding ways to augment the existing management of acute and chronic kidney diseases with targeted gene and cell therapies: Opportunities and hurdles

The rising global incidence of acute and chronic kidney diseases has increased the demand for renal replacement therapy. This issue, compounded with the limited availability of viable kidneys for transplantation, has propelled the search for alternative strategies to address the growing health and economic burdens associated with these conditions. In the search for such alternatives, significant efforts have been devised to augment the current and primarily supportive management of renal injury with novel regenerative strategies. For example, gene- and cell-based approaches that utilize recombinant peptides/proteins, gene, cell, organoid, and RNAi technologies have shown promising outcomes primarily in experimental models. Supporting research has also been conducted to improve our understanding of the critical aspects that facilitate the development of efficient gene- and cell-based techniques that the complex structure of the kidney has traditionally limited. This manuscript is intended to communicate efforts that have driven the development of such therapies by identifying the vectors and delivery routes needed to drive exogenous transgene incorporation that may support the treatment of acute and chronic kidney diseases.

Automated summary

The increasing worldwide prevalence of acute and chronic kidney diseases has led to a higher demand for renal replacement therapy. However, the limited availability of suitable kidneys for transplantation has prompted the search for alternative strategies to alleviate the health and economic burdens associated with these conditions. Significant efforts have been made to explore regenerative approaches that can enhance the current management of renal injury, such as gene- and cell-based therapies. These approaches, utilizing technologies like recombinant peptides/proteins, gene, cell, organoid, and RNAi, have shown promising outcomes in experimental models. Moreover, research has been conducted to improve our understanding of the complex structure of the kidney, allowing for more efficient gene- and cell-based techniques. This manuscript aims to communicate the development of such therapies by identifying the vectors and delivery routes necessary for successful exogenous transgene incorporation in the treatment of acute and chronic kidney diseases.