Gut Bacterial Molecule Promotes Kidney Fibrosis in Diabetes

Recent research highlights the role of a molecule produced by gut bacteria in accelerating kidney fibrosis, a severe complication of diabetes that often leads to kidney failure. Scientists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Mie University in Japan identified that a small peptide called corisin, generated by Staphylococcus bacteria in the gut, travels through the bloodstream attached to albumin, a common blood protein. Once reaching the kidneys, corisin detaches and triggers cellular aging and death within kidney tissues, setting off a chain of inflammation and scar tissue formation.

The study found elevated levels of corisin in the blood and urine of patients with diabetic kidney fibrosis, with the amount correlating directly to the severity of kidney damage. In mouse experiments, introducing antibodies that neutralize corisin significantly slowed the progression of kidney damage, suggesting the molecule plays a critical role in disease development.

Corisin’s journey from the gut to the kidneys was elucidated through computer simulations and laboratory experiments, revealing that it binds to albumin and exploits this transport mechanism to reach renal tissues. When corisin reaches the kidney, it accelerates aging processes in kidney cells, leading to increased inflammation, cell death, and fibrosis.

Current treatments for diabetic kidney fibrosis mainly control blood sugar and blood pressure but do not halt or reverse scarring. The discovery of corisin as a key driver opens new possibilities for targeted therapies, such as antibody treatments to block its activity. Researchers are now planning further testing in more advanced animal models, including pigs, with the hope of developing human applications.

This groundbreaking finding advances our understanding of how gut bacteria influence distant organs and underscores the potential for microbiome-targeted interventions in preventing or slowing kidney fibrosis in diabetes. Future therapies aimed at blocking molecules like corisin could significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-kidney-fibrosis-linked-molecule-gut.html