The number of people with kidney disease is increasing worldwide, with the diseases often only being detected at an advanced, usually irreversible stage. Since the underlying disease mechanisms are not fully understood, increased research is essential for better prevention and early detection. An international research team led by scientists from Dresden and Heidelberg has now gained new insights into gender-specific differences in kidney damage.

The study, conducted by Prof. Andreas Linkermann from the University Hospital Dresden and the University Medical Center Mannheim as well as Prof. Stefan Bornstein from the University Hospital Dresden, among others, shows that the female sex hormone estrogen protects the kidneys from damage caused by ferroptosis. Ferroptosis, a process of cell death called “biological rust,” leads to the loss of nephrons, the functional units of the kidney. The researchers found that estradiol, an estrogen, increases the resistance of the kidneys by neutralizing damaging radicals and activating a genetic program that prevents ferroptosis.

These findings illustrate the importance of sex hormones for biological processes and lay the foundation for the development of targeted therapies. In the long term, a gender-specific understanding of kidney disease could lead to individualized treatment approaches and more gender equality in medicine. The study results also emphasize the excellent research quality at the Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden and at the University Hospital Dresden. They open up perspectives for early diagnoses and tailor-made therapies that can sustainably improve the quality of life of those affected.

The research project was financially supported in particular by the German Research Foundation (DFG): https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/522190184.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability. ected.