Renal and cardiac fibrosis: Development of new therapeutic approaches

Chronic diseases, including cardiovascular and kidney disease, are the major cause of death and disability in the world. Damaged areas of the kidneys and heart arise due to chronic disease and subsequently undergo scarring, known as fibrosis. Current treatments can slow the progression of fibrosis, but there is no cure. This thesis explores how insulin-regulated aminopeptidase, an enzyme responsible for promoting chronic disease, can be modulated to protect against kidney fibrosis. We found inhibiting the activity of this enzyme prevents kidney injury, and therefore may be a promising target for treating kidney fibrosis.