← brief for 2026-09-08 · Slowing decline

Intermedin mitigates chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced metabolic reprogramming in tubular epithelial cells and attenuates consequent kidney fibrosis through an AMPK-dependent suppression of HIF-1α.

Key takeaways

Sleep apnea makes oxygen levels drop over and over during the night, and that repeated stress can scar the kidneys. In this lab work, a natural body peptide called intermedin protected the kidney's filtering tubes from that damage. It worked by turning an energy sensor in the cell (AMPK) back on, which lowered a low-oxygen stress protein (HIF-1 alpha) and cut down scarring. This was done in cells and animals, not in people yet.

Who did this work

Ge Y · Pan J · Li Y · Zhang K · Yao K · Niu J · Ren Y · Niu D · Han W · Xu L · Su X · Wang L

Source

Article · PubMed, CKD progression and prevention · 2026 Sep 8
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42710697/