News Finding: Point mutations of the KL gene in humans are associated with hypertension and kidney disease, which suggests that a-Klotho may be essential to the maintenance of normal renal function.
Paper Finding: The in vivo expression of Klotho decreases the activation of renal ␤-catenin and improves renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease .
News Context: In mice, the overexpression of the KL gene extends the lifespan, whereas mutations to the KL gene shorten the lifespan. Point mutations of the KL gene in humans are associated with hypertension and kidney disease, which suggests that a-Klotho may be essential to the maintenance of normal renal function. This current understanding of the molecular biology of the a-Klotho protein may offer new insights into its function and role in aging.
Paper Context: Klotho may therefore suppress Wnt signaling (Figure 4b ). The in vivo expression of Klotho decreases the activation of renal ␤-catenin and improves renal fibrosis in chronic kidney disease . ␣-Klotho regulates intracellular Ca 2ϩ (Figure 4c ), which in turn increases -calpain activity leading to the degradation of ␤-catenin.