Keywords
Podocytes
Pathogenesis
Proteinuria
Submitted : 2025-06-11
Accepted : 2025-06-26
Published : 2025-07-11
Abstract
Pre-eclampsia is still one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting multiple organ systems. Despite extensive research, its underlying etiology remains unclear. Proteinuria is a hallmark of a diagnosis of preeclampsia and is usually accompanied by podocyte damage, which is changes in the structure and function of the podocytes. Recent technological advances have identified a critical role for podocytes in the loss of renal filtration function in preeclampsia. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to proteinuria and podocyte damage in preeclampsia are unknown, which leads to a lack of targeted therapy. Recent years have witnessed challenges the traditional view, that kidney damage in preeclampsia is caused only by glomerular endothelial cell injury. Similarly, podocytes were identified as key players in the pathogenesis of proteinuria in preeclampsia. In this review, we review the mechanisms of renal injury (especially podocytes) in preeclampsia to elucidate the relevance of podocyte injury to proteinuria and suggest specific therapeutic strategies for proteinuria in preeclampsia.
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