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A gut microbe molecule drives diabetic kidney scarring. Blocking it may offer new treatment options.

A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Mie University in Japan has revealed that a molecule produced by gut bacteria can travel to the kidneys, where it triggers inflammation, tissue scarring, and fibrosis. These processes represent a serious complication of diabetes and are among the leading causes of kidney failure.

The molecule, known as corisin, is a small peptide generated by Staphylococcus bacteria in the gut. Researchers detected elevated levels of corisin in the blood of patients with diabetic kidney fibrosis. To understand its role, they combined computer simulations with tissue and mouse experiments, tracing how corisin moves from the gut to the kidneys, how it drives kidney damage, and how antibody-based treatments might help block its harmful effects.

“Our earlier studies showed corisin can damage cells and worsen tissue scarring and fibrosis in other organs, so we suspected it might be a hidden driver of kidney fibrosis,” said Illinois animal sciences professor Isaac Cann, who led the study with Mie University immunology professor Dr. Esteban Gabazza. Cann and Gabazza are affiliates of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at Illinois. “Our new findings suggest corisin is indeed a hidden culprit behind progressive kidney damage in diabetes, and that blocking it could offer a new way to protect kidney health in patients.”

The researchers published their findings in the journal Nature Communications.

A hidden driver of diabetic kidney damage

Dr. Taro Yasuma of Mie University, a physician and first author of the study, explained that diabetic kidney fibrosis is one of the leading causes of kidney failure worldwide. Despite its impact, the main factors driving the condition have remained unclear, and no therapies currently exist that can halt its progression.

“Many people with longstanding diabetes eventually develop kidney fibrosis, and once it progresses, there are limited options beyond dialysis or kidney transplantation. Current treatments mainly focus on controlling blood sugar and blood pressure, but there’s no cure that stops or reverses the scarring or fibrotic process,” Yasuma said.

To investigate further, the team analyzed blood and urine samples from patients with diabetic kidney disease. Their results showed that these patients had much higher levels of corisin compared with healthy individuals, and that the concentration of corisin in the blood was directly linked to the severity of kidney damage.

Tracking corisin from gut to kidney

Upon seeing the same results in mice with kidney fibrosis, the researchers tracked what corisin was doing in the kidneys of the mice. They found that corisin speeds up aging in kidney cells, setting off a chain reaction from inflammation to cell death to a buildup of scar tissue, eventually resulting in the loss of kidney function and worsening fibrosis.

But how was corisin getting from the gut to the kidneys? Cann and Gabazza’s groups collaborated with U. of I. chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Diwakar Shukla’s group to produce computer simulations and laboratory experiments to follow corisin’s journey from the gut to the bloodstream. They found that corisin can attach to albumin, one of the most common proteins in blood, and ride it through the bloodstream. When it reaches the kidneys, corisin detaches from the albumin to attack the delicate structures that filter blood and urine.

Antibody treatment shows promise

To confirm that corisin was the main culprit behind the kidney damage, the researchers gave the mice antibodies against corisin. They saw a dramatic reduction in the speed of kidney damage.

“When we treated the mice with an antibody that neutralizes corisin, it slowed the aging of kidney cells and greatly reduced kidney scarring,” said Gabazza, who also is an adjunct professor of animal sciences at Illinois. “While no such antibody is currently approved for use in humans, our findings suggest it could be developed into a new treatment.”

Next, the researchers plan to test anticorisin treatments in more advanced animal models, such as pigs, to explore how they could be adapted for safe use in humans. The U. of I. and Mie University have a joint invention disclosure on corisin antibodies.

“Our work suggests that blocking corisin, either with antibodies or other targeted therapies, could slow down or prevent kidney scarring in diabetes and thus enhance the quality of life for patients,” Cann said.

Reference: “Microbiota-derived corisin accelerates kidney fibrosis by promoting cellular aging” by Taro Yasuma, Hajime Fujimoto, Corina N. D’Alessandro-Gabazza, Masaaki Toda, Mei Uemura, Kota Nishihama, Atsuro Takeshita, Valeria Fridman D’Alessandro, Tomohito Okano, Yuko Okano, Atsushi Tomaru, Tomoko Anoh, Chisa Inoue, Manal A. B. Alhawsawi, Ahmed M. Abdel-Hamid, Kyle Leistikow, Michael R. King, Ryoichi Ono, Tetsuya Nosaka, Hidetoshi Yamazaki, Christopher J. Fields, Roderick I. Mackie, Xuenan Mi, Diwakar Shukla, Justine Arrington, Yutaka Yano, Osamu Hataji, Tetsu Kobayashi, Isaac Cann and Esteban C. Gabazza, 25 August 2025, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61847-2

This study was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Takeda Science Foundation, the Japan Association for Diabetes Education and Care, the Eli Lilly Japan Innovation Research Grant, the Daiwa Security Foundation and the Charles and Margaret Levin Family Foundation.

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The number of obese school-aged children has exceeded the number of underweight children globally, according to a new report released by UNICEF.

This is the first time obesity has overtaken undernourishment as the leading form of malnutrition among children aged five to 19, according to the report released on Wednesday.

Today, “when we talk about malnutrition, we are no longer just talking about underweight children,” UNICEF chief Catherine Russell said in a statement on the report’s release.

What did the report say about undernourishment and obesity?

Since 2000, the number of underweight children has dropped from nearly 13% to 9.2%, among 5- to 19-year olds, according to data collected in over 190 countries.

Meanwhile, obesity rates have nearly tripled from 3% to 9.4% during the same period. The report suggests one in five children aged five to 19 years are overweight, totalling some 391 million.

The “tipping point” was predicted by UNICEF back in 2017.

Obesity now exceeds underweight in all regions globally except sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Many high-income countries continue to have high levels of obesity, including 27% of 5- to 19-year-olds in Chile, 21% in the US and 21% in the UAE, according to the report.

What is causing the rise in obesity?

According to the researchers at UNICEF, the rising trend of obesity is largely due to unhealthy food environments.

The report warned that “ultra-processed and fast foods – high in sugar, refined starch, salt, unhealthy fats and additives – are shaping children’s diets through unhealthy food environments, rather than personal choice.”

“Obesity is a growing concern that can impact the health and development of children,” Russell said in the statement. “Ultra-processed food is increasingly replacing fruits, vegetables and protein at a time when nutrition plays a critical role in children’s growth, cognitive development and mental health.”

To curb the rising trend of obesity, the report included suggestions such as improving the food environment by including food labelling, implementing food marketing restrictions and banning the provision or sale of ultra-processed and junk foods in schools.

It also suggested firming up social protection programs to address income poverty and improve financial access to nutritious diets.

Edited by: Rana Taha

Do men, women have same heart attack symptoms?

Dr London said that men often experience the ‘classic’, widely recognised symptoms of a heart attack, like intense chest pain radiating to the jaw and arm. Women, however, may have less obvious ‘softer’ symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or abdominal discomfort, which can be misattributed to other conditions like indigestion or stress. This, he said, could lead to dangerous delays in treatment for women.

Heart attack symptoms in men

He said, “Understanding this difference (between men and women’s heart attack symptoms) can really be life-saving. Men typically have what I call a classic TV heart attack, which is crushing chest pain with pain that radiates into the jaw and into the arm. And this is what most people associate with a heart attack.”

Heart attack symptoms in women

Dr London added: “Women many times can present with like softer symptoms, shortness of breath, fatigue, abdominal pain. And these symptoms can be dismissed as indigestion, the flu, stress, or even a panic attack. And this can result in a delay in life-saving treatment.”

While explaining how cardiac issues could manifest in varied ways for both sexes, Dr London urged people to seek medical attention without delay if they feel unwell, especially if they are at risk, as swift action can preserve heart muscle. He stressed that it was essential for women to be aware of these symptoms and seek medical help immediately if they experience any of them as delaying treatment could lead to serious heart damage or even death.

“So, what you need to remember is that cardiac angina can be the great masquerader in both men and women. So, if you don’t feel right and you are at risk, don’t delay because time equals heart muscle saved,” he said.

It’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately if you experience chest pain or any of these heart attack symptoms, especially if they’re severe or persistent. Click here to learn more about 10 signs of heart disease you ignore but should not – irregular heartbeat, swollen feet, jaw pain and more– shared by a cardiologist. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate to call a doctor or visit a hospital.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.