Renalase in hypertension and kidney disease.

Renalase, a recently discovered flavoprotein, which is strongly expressed in the kidney and heart, effectively metabolizes catecholamines. It was discovered during the search to identify proteins secreted by the kidney that could help explain the high incidence of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. Recent advances have led to more detailed knowledge of its biology, structure, enzymatic activity, mechanisms of action, associations with human disease states and potential therapeutic value. In this study, we review these advances with a focus on hypertension and kidney disease.