The potential role of regucalcin in kidney cell regulation: Involvement in renal failure (Review).

The kidneys play a physiologic role in the regulation of urine formation and nutrient reabsorption in the proximal tubule epithelial cells. Kidney development has been shown to be regulated through calcium (Ca2+) signaling processes that are present through numerous steps of tubulogenesis and nephron induction during embryonic development of the kidneys. Ca2+-binding proteins, such as calbindin-D28k and regucalcin are important proteins that are commonly used as biomarkers in pronephric tubules, and the ureteric bud and metanephric mesenchyme. Previous research on regucalcin focused on Ca2+ sensors that are involved in renal organogenesis and the link between Ca2+-dependent signals and polycystins. Moreover, regucalcin has been highlighted to play a multifunctional role in kidney cell regulation. The regucalcin gene, which is localized on the X chromosome, is regulated through various transcription factors. Regucalcin has been found to regulate intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells. Regucalcin has been demonstrated to regulate the activity of various enzymes that are involved in intracellular signaling pathways. It has been noted that regucalcin suppresses DNA synthesis and regulates the gene expression of various proteins related to mineral transport, transcription factors, cell proliferation and apoptosis. The overexpression of regucalcin has been shown to exert suppressive effects on cell proliferation and apoptotic cell death, which are stimulated by various stimulatory factors. Moreover, regucalcin gene expression was found to to be involved in various pathophysiological states, including renal failure. This review discusses recent findings concerning the potential role of regucalcin as a regulatory protein in the kidney proximal tubule epithelial cells.