Emerging role and the signaling pathways of uncoupling protein 2 in kidney diseases.

Objectives: Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) was involved in the pathogenesis and development of kidney diseases. Many signaling pathways and factors regulate the expression of UCP2. We aimed to investigate the precise role of UCP2 and its signaling pathways in kidney diseases.

Methods: We summarized the available evidence to yield a more detailed conclusion of the signal transduction pathways of UCP2 and its role in the development and progression of kidney diseases.

Results: UCP2 could interact with 14.3.3 family proteins, mitochondrial phospholipase iPLA2γ, NMDAR, glucokinase, PPARγ2. There existed a signaling pathway between UCP2 and NMDAR, PPARγ. UCP2 can inhibit the ROS production, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, which may protect against renal injury, particularly AKI. Meanwhile UCP2 can decrease ATP production and inhibit the secretion of insulin, which may alleviate chronic renal damages, such as diabetic nephropathy and kidney fibrosis.

Conclusions: Homeostasis of UCP2 is helpful for kidney health. UCP2 may play different roles in different kinds of renal injury.