Therapeutic potential of RGD peptides in acute renal injury

In summary, the aberrant distribution and function of adhesion molecules is gaining recognition as a pathophysiologically important phenomenon in acute renal injury. The initial attempts to use the knowledge on adhesion molecules to correct certain abnormalities of their distribution and function in disease were briefly summarized above. These data justify further work, both experimental and clinical trials, on elucidation of the therapeutic potential of RGD peptides and their mimetics. In this vein, future efforts will be focused not only on therapeutic role of RGD peptides in acute renal injury, but should survey their potential in a broad range of pathophysiological situations, where RGD motif could be involved in vascular, glomerular, as well as tubular abnormalities. These potential actions of RGD peptide are summarized in Figure 7. As outlined, our future efforts will be directed toward elucidation of anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties of the peptide.