Molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic approaches to rhabdomyolysis-induced acute kidney injury

Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome caused by injury to skeletal muscle that usually leads to acute kidney injury (AKI). Rhabdomyolysis has been linked to different conditions, including severe trauma and intense physical exercise. Myoglobin-induced renal toxicity plays a key role in rhabdomyolysis-associated kidney damage by increasing oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, vasoconstriction, and apoptosis. New drugs that target the harmful effects of myoglobin have been recently developed, and some have been proven to be successful in animal models of acute renal failure secondary to rhabdomyolysis. This review aims to provide a comprehensive and updated overview of the pathological mechanisms of renal damage and describes new therapeutic approaches to this condition based on novel compounds that target key pathways involved in myoglobin-mediated kidney damageThis work has been supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)/ FEDER (Programa Miguel Servet: CP10/00479, PI13/00802 and PI14/00883) and the Spanish Society of Nephrology to Juan Antonio Moreno. Fundación Lilly, Fundación Renal Iñigo Alvarez de Toledo and ISCIII PI14/00386 to Jesus Egido. Fundación Conchita Rabago to Alfonso Rubio Navarro