- Article
Background: In experimental models, injured tubular cells with increased pyrimidine metabolism activate fibroblasts through the pyrimidine receptor P2Y6R, promoting fibrosis. We explored whether this axis can be traced in human kidney disease. Methods: We analyzed public bulk, single-cell and single-nucleus human kidney RNA-seq data. Results: A higher pyrimidine metabolism gene score was found in proximal tubules in acute kidney injury (AKI) and, in one of two single-cell datasets, in chronic kidney disease (CKD), and in early diabetic kidney disease (DKD) tissue; within participants, it was higher in altered than in reference-state proximal tubular cells. P2RY6 expression was higher in whole kidney advanced DKD tissue and in fibroblasts in AKI and CKD. The extracellular matrix (ECM) gene score was higher in advanced DKD and in stromal cells and fibroblasts in AKI and CKD; fibroblast PDGFRB expression was also higher. The proximal tubular pyrimidine score correlated with the fibroblast ECM score within the healthy and CKD groups, but not within AKI, and not with fibroblast P2RY6 expression. Conclusions: The current data analysis supports the association of proximal tubular pyrimidine metabolism gene expression with fibroblast ECM gene expression in human CKD; however, there was no significant association between ECM gene expression and fibroblast P2RY6 expression. Functional studies are needed to assess the importance of pyrimidine signaling in fibrosis in human kidney disease.
14 November 2026






![Personalized risk assessment and lipid management in the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline. The 2026 ACC/AHA framework for dyslipidemia management moves from a single-score approach to a layered strategy integrating initial clinical evaluation, PREVENT-ASCVD risk estimation, risk-enhancing factors, selective use of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and coronary artery calcium (CAC) for risk reclassification. The resulting risk profile informs the definition of LDL-C and non-HDL-C treatment goals and the selection of lipid-lowering therapy, from statins to combination treatment and specialist therapies in selected phenotypes. Overall, this model supports earlier, more precise, and sustained reduction in atherogenic lipoprotein burden. Abbreviations: ACC, American College of Cardiology; AHA, American Heart Association; ApoB, apolipoprotein B; ASCVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; CAC, coronary artery calcium; CKD, chronic kidney disease; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Lp(a), lipoprotein(a); PREVENT-ASCVD, Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs–Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.](https://mdpi-res.com/life/life-16-01470/article_deploy/html/images/life-16-01470-g001-550.jpg)



