Abstract

DELGADO TROCHEL, Fabiana Verónica. The Great Role of Klotho. Rev. Med [online]. 2021, vol.29, n.1, pp.25-35.  Epub Dec 31, 2021. ISSN 0121-5256.  https://doi.org/10.18359/rmed.5021.

Klotho is a single-pass transmembrane protein consisting of 1012 amino adds and it is strongly and weakly expressed in distal and proximal renal tubular epithelial cells, respectively. There are four groups of Klotho proteins. The αKlotho gene is abundantly expressed in kidneys, parathyroid glands, choroid plexus, as well as in the cerebral cortex, spinal cord, cerebellum, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, parathyroid glands, ovary, testis, breast epithelial cells, placenta, pancreas, inner ear, smooth muscle vascular endothelium, and intestine. Klotho exhibits multiple functions in addition to phosphate excretion, including enhancement of oxidative stress and inhibition of insulin growth factor signaling pathways, Wnt/β-catenin, transforming growth factor-β1 and mechanistic target of rapamycin, thus eliciting an important role within a myriad of pathological events such as, for example, the one caused by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Both new and previous work in humans and mice (e.g., the impact of Klotho on acute lung injury) provide a strong rationale to further examine the role of Klotho in health and aging.

Keywords : aging; COVID-19; membrane proteins.

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