Nanjing Mouse Study: The Mitochondrial Peptide Humanin Limits Kidney Scarring After Acute Injury
Researchers at Nanjing Medical University and Southeast University found that kidney humanin levels fell after ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice and tracked with declining kidney function and fibrosis. The analog S14G-humanin protected against fibrosis by stabilizing Suclg1, a subunit of a mitochondrial enzyme, against TRIM28-driven breakdown, and blocking Suclg1 erased the benefit, the Free Radical Biology and Medicine paper reports. The work was done in mice and has not been tested in people.