Abstract

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a devastating complication of diabetes that can lead to kidney failure if left untreated. Current treatments focus on managing both blood glucose and pressure, as there is a lack of targeted therapeutics available. We previously identified a mechanism for the disease progression of a subset of DKD known as diabetic nephropathy. On a molecular level, this mechanism leads to the degradation of important structural proteins necessary for maintaining the slit diaphragm filtration junction of kidney cells known as podocytes. 

Specifically, we determined that in diabetes, the motor protein dynein is upregulated by the dynactin protein complex, leading to the mistrafficking of these structural proteins through degradation pathways. Degradation of these proteins causes podocyte injury. Therefore, we sought to knock out dynactin in mouse podocytes to rescue dynein mistrafficking of slit diaphragm proteins and protect podocytes from diabetic injury.

In this comic, we represent these ideas through the story of Agent Knockout, the heroine who saves the city of Renalville from the sugary villain, Maximus Glucose. Glucose and his minions represent the damage that can happen when diabetes is uncontrolled, leading to high blood pressure and blood glucose levels that can ultimately cause kidney failure if early intervention does not occur. Agent Knockout represents our attempt at targeting dynactin to save the day. Overall, we hope to use this storytelling format to teach others about the importance of managing one’s diabetes, and the prevalence of DKD.

Keywords

diabetic nephropathy, diabetic kidney disease, diabetic podocytopathy, podocyte, nephrin, glomerulosclerosis

How to Cite

Williquett, J. L. & Sun, H., (2025) “Attack on Renalville: Agent Knockout takes on Diabetic Kidney Disease”, Synthesis: A Digital Journal of Student Science Communication 6(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.17077/2643-8410.33886