Evolution and conservation genetics of an insular hemiparasitic plant lineage at the limit of survival: the case of Thesium sect. Kunkeliella in the Canary Islands.

PREMISE: The diversification of island flora has been widely studied. However, the role of environmental niches in insular radiation processes has been less investigated. We combined population genetic analyses with species distribution modelling to clarify the genetic relationships, diversification patterns, species niche requirements, and conservation of Thesium sect. Kunkeliella, a clade of rare hemiparasitic plants endemic to the Canaries. METHODS: We studied the three extant Thesium species and a new taxon from La Palma Island. We developed 12 microsatellites and performed population genetic analysis and studied the demographic history of the group. To evaluate the role of niche conservatism in the diversification of the group, we performed species distribution modelling (ESM) with four algorithms. RESULTS: All species presented moderate genetic diversity values for rare endemics. Thesium canariense (Gran Canaria) showed high differentiation, whereas T. subsucculentum, T. retamoides (Tenerife), and La Palma populations are closely related. The lineage may have undergone a recent diversification with colonization proceeding east to west, with T. canariense as sister to the others. We detected a climatic niche shift, as taxa showed different distributions across the temperature gradient. There is enough evidence to describe La Palma populations as a new species. CONCLUSIONS: We characterized the evolutionary history of Thesium sect. Kunkeliella by integrating genetic and ecological assessments. Our results indicate that this clade has undergone a recent radiation process with niche differentiation among species. The results increase our knowledge about insular radiations and will inform the conservation management of the study species.

Dyslipidemia and Inflammation as Hallmarks of Oxidative Stress in COVID-19: A Follow-Up Study.

Recent works have demonstrated a significant reduction in cholesterol levels and increased oxidative stress in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The cause of this alteration is not well known. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate their possible association during the evolution of COVID-19. This is an observational prospective study. The primary endpoint was to analyze the association between lipid peroxidation, lipid, and inflammatory profiles in COVID-19 patients. A multivariate regression analysis was employed. The secondary endpoint included the long-term follow-up of lipid profiles. COVID-19 patients presented significantly lower values in their lipid profile (total, low, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) with greater oxidative stress and inflammatory response compared to the healthy controls. Lipid peroxidation was the unique oxidative parameter with a significant association with the total cholesterol (OR: 0.982; 95% CI: 0.969-0.996; p = 0.012), IL1-RA (OR: 0.999; 95% CI: 0.998-0.999; p = 0.021) IL-6 (OR: 1.062; 95% CI: 1.017-1.110; p = 0.007), IL-7 (OR: 0.653; 95% CI: 0.433-0.986; p = 0.042) and IL-17 (OR: 1.098; 95% CI: 1.010-1.193; p = 0.028). Lipid abnormalities recovered after the initial insult during long-term follow-up (IQR 514 days); however, those with high LPO levels at hospital admission had, during long-term follow-up, an atherogenic lipid profile. Our study suggests that oxidative stress in COVID-19 is associated with derangements of the lipid profile and inflammation. Survivors experienced a recovery in their lipid profiles during long-term follow-up, but those with stronger oxidative responses had an atherogenic lipid profile.

Bioactive Potential: A Pharmacognostic Definition through the Screening of Four Hypericum Species from the Canary Islands.

In this work, we propose a general methodology to assess the bioactive potential (BP) of extracts in the quest of vegetable-based drugs. To exemplify the method, we studied the anticancer potential (AP) of four endemic species of genus Hypericum (Hypericum canariense L, Hypericum glandulosum Aiton, Hypericum grandifolium Choisy and Hypericum reflexum L.f) from the Canary Islands. Microextracts were obtained from the aerial parts of these species and were tested against six human tumor cell lines, A549 (non-small-cell lung), HBL-100 (breast), HeLa (cervix), SW1573 (non-small-cell lung), T-47D (breast) and WiDr (colon). The methanol-water microextracts were evaluated further for cell migration, autophagy and cell death. The most promising bioactive polar microextracts were analyzed by UHPLC-DAD-MS. The extraction yield, the bioactivity evaluation and the chemical profiling by LC-MS suggested that H. grandifolium was the species with the highest AP. Label-free live-cell imaging studies on HeLa cells exposed to the methanol-water microextract of H. grandifolium enabled observing cell death and several apoptotic hallmarks. Overall, this study allows us to select Hypericum grandifolium Choisy as a source of new chemical entities with a potential interest for cancer treatment.

Endothelial Dysfunction and Neutrophil Degranulation as Central Events in Sepsis Physiopathology.

Sepsis is a major health problem worldwide. It is a time-dependent disease, with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. In this sense, an early diagnosis is essential to reduce these rates. The progressive increase of both the incidence and prevalence of sepsis has translated into a significant socioeconomic burden for health systems. Currently, it is the leading cause of noncoronary mortality worldwide and represents one of the most prevalent pathologies both in hospital emergency services and in intensive care units. In this article, we review the role of both endothelial dysfunction and neutrophil dysregulation in the physiopathology of this disease. The lack of a key symptom in sepsis makes it difficult to obtain a quick and accurate diagnosis of this condition. Thus, it is essential to have fast and reliable diagnostic tools. In this sense, the use of biomarkers can be a very important alternative when it comes to achieving these goals. Both new biomarkers and treatments related to endothelial dysfunction and neutrophil dysregulation deserve to be further investigated in order to open new venues for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of sepsis.

Cytokine and interleukin profile in patients with headache and COVID-19: A pilot, CASE-control, study on 104 patients.

BACKGROUND: The presence of headache during the acute phase of COVID-19 could be associated with the innate response and the cytokine release. We aim to compare the cytokine and interleukin profile in hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the moment of admission with and without headache during the course of the disease. METHODS: An observational analytic study with a case control design was performed. Hospitalized patients from a tertiary hospital with confirmed COVID-19 disease were included. Patients were classified into the headache or the control group depending on whether they presented headache not better accounted for by another headache disorder other than acute headache attributed to systemic viral infection. Several demographic and clinical variables were studies in both groups. We determined the plasmatic levels of 45 different cytokines and interleukins from the first hospitalization plasma extraction in both groups. RESULTS: One hundred and four patients were included in the study, aged 67.4 (12.8), 43.3% female. Among them, 29 (27.9%) had headache. Patients with headache were younger (61.8 vs. 69.5 years, p = 0.005) and had higher frequency of fever (96.6 vs. 78.7%, p = 0.036) and anosmia (48.3% vs. 22.7%, p = 0.016). In the comparison of the crude median values of cytokines, many cytokines were different between both groups. In the comparison of the central and dispersion parameters between the two groups, GROa, IL-10, IL1RA, IL-21, IL-22 remained statistically significant. After adjusting the values for age, sex, baseline situation and COVID-19 severity, IL-10 remained statistically significant (3.3 vs. 2.2 ng/dL, p = 0.042), with a trend towards significance in IL-23 (11.9 vs. 8.6 ng/dL, p = 0.082) and PIGF1 (1621.8 vs. 110.6 ng/dL, p = 0.071). CONCLUSIONS: The higher levels of IL-10 -an anti-inflammatory cytokine- found in our sample in patients with headache may be explained as a counteract of cytokine release, reflecting a more intense immune response in these patients.

Genome sequence of Shewanella corallii strain A687 isolated from pufferfish (Sphoeroides spengleri).

We present here the genome sequence of Shewanella corallii strain A687 isolated from pufferfish Sphoeroides spengleri (Family Tetraodontidae). The assembly consists of 5,215,037 bp and contains 284 contigs, with a G+C content of 50.3%.

T cells from hemophilia A subjects recognize the same HLA-restricted FVIII epitope with a narrow TCR repertoire.

Factor VIII (FVIII)-neutralizing antibodies ("inhibitors") are a serious problem in hemophilia A (HA). The aim of this study was to characterize HLA-restricted T-cell responses from a severe HA subject with a persistent inhibitor and from 2 previously studied mild HA inhibitor subjects. Major histocompatibility complex II tetramers corresponding to both of the severe HA subject's HLA-DRA-DRB1 alleles were loaded with peptides spanning FVIII-A2, C1, and C2 domains. Interestingly, only 1 epitope was identified, in peptide FVIII2194-2213, and it was identical to the HLA-DRA*01-DRB1*01:01-restricted epitope recognized by the mild HA subjects. Multiple T-cell clones and polyclonal lines having different avidities for the peptide-loaded tetramer were isolated from all subjects. Only high- and medium-avidity T cells proliferated and secreted cytokines when stimulated with FVIII2194-2213 T-cell receptor ß (TCRB) gene sequencing of 15 T-cell clones from the severe HA subject revealed that all high-avidity clones expressed the same TCRB gene. High-throughput immunosequencing of high-, medium-, and low-avidity cells sorted from a severe HA polyclonal line revealed that 94% of the high-avidity cells expressed the same TCRB gene as the high-avidity clones. TCRB sequencing of clones and lines from the mild HA subjects also identified a limited TCRB gene repertoire. These results suggest a limited number of epitopes in FVIII drive inhibitor responses and that the T-cell repertoires of FVIII-responsive T cells can be quite narrow. The limited diversity of both epitopes and TCRB gene usage suggests that targeting of specific epitopes and/or T-cell clones may be a promising approach to achieve tolerance to FVIII.

Species delimitation and conservation genetics of the Canarian endemic Bethencourtia (Asteraceae).

Bethencourtia Choisy ex Link is an endemic genus of the Canary Islands and comprises three species. Bethencourtia hermosae and Bethencourtia rupicola are restricted to La Gomera, while Bethencourtia palmensis is present in Tenerife and La Palma. Despite the morphological differences previously found between the species, there are still taxonomic incongruities in the group, with evident consequences for its monitoring and conservation. The objectives of this study were to define the species differentiation, perform population genetic analysis and propose conservation strategies for Bethencourtia. To achieve these objectives, we characterized 10 polymorphic SSR markers. Eleven natural populations (276 individuals) were analyzed (three for B. hermosae, five for B. rupicola and three for B. palmensis). The results obtained by AMOVA, PCoA and Bayesian analysis on STRUCTURE confirmed the evidence of well-structured groups corresponding to the three species. At the intra-specific level, B. hermosae and B. rupicola did not show a clear population structure, while B. palmensis was aggregated according to island of origin. This is consistent with self-incompatibility in the group and high gene flow within species. Overall, the genetic diversity of the three species was low, with expected heterozygosity values of 0.302 (B. hermosae), 0.382 (B. rupicola) and 0.454 (B. palmensis). Recent bottleneck events and a low number of individuals per population are probably the causes of the low genetic diversity. We consider that they are naturally rare species associated with specific habitats. The results given in this article will provide useful information to assist in conservation genetics programs for this endemic genus.

Bisphenol A (BPA) modulates the expression of endocrine and stress response genes in the freshwater snail Physa acuta.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that can mimic the action of oestrogens by interacting with hormone receptors, is potentially able to influence reproductive functions in vertebrates and invertebrates. The freshwater pulmonate Physa acuta is a sensitive organism to xenobiotics appropriate for aquatic toxicity testing in environmental studies. This study was conducted to explore the effects of BPA on the Gastropoda endocrine system. The effects following a range of exposure times (5-96h) to BPA in P. acuta were evaluated at the molecular level by analysing changes in the transcriptional activity of the endocrine-related genes oestrogen receptor (ER), oestrogen-related receptor (ERR), and retinoid X receptor (RXR), as well as in genes involved in the stress response, such as hsp70 and hsp90. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that BPA induced a significant increase in the mRNA levels of ER, ERR, and RXR, suggesting that these receptors could be involved in similar pathways or regulation events in the endocrine disruptor activity of this chemical at the molecular level in Gastropoda. Additionally, the hsp70 expression was upregulated after 5 and 72h of BPA exposures, but hsp90 was only upregulated after 5h of BPA exposure. Finally, we assessed the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity after BPA treatment and found that it was affected after 48h. In conclusion, these data provide, for the first time, evidences of molecular effects produced by BPA in the endocrine system of Gastropoda, supporting the potential of ER, ERR and RXR as biomarkers to analyse putative EDCs in ecotoxicological studies. Moreover, our results suggest that P. acuta is an appropriate sentinel organism to evaluate the effect of EDCs in the freshwater environment.

Endocrine-related genes are altered by antibacterial agent triclosan in Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial agent widely used in personal care and consumer products and commonly detected in aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the effects of TCS on endocrine-related genes of Chironomus riparius aquatic larvae, a reference organism in aquatic toxicology, were evaluated. Twenty-four-hour in vivo exposures at 10µg/L, 100µg/L, and 1000µg/L TCS revealed that this xenobiotic was able to alter the transcriptional activity of ecdysone receptor gene (EcR), the ultraspiracle gene (usp), the estrogen-related receptor gene (ERR), and the E74 early ecdysone-inducible gene, as measured by real-time RT-PCR. Moreover, the hsp70 gene, a heat shock protein gene, was upregulated after exposure to TCS. The results of the present work provide the first evidence of the potential disruptive effects of TCS in endocrine-related genes suggesting a mode of action that mimics ecdysteroid hormones in insects.

Molecular phylogenetics of Micromeria (Lamiaceae) in the Canary Islands, diversification and inter-island colonization patterns inferred from nuclear genes.

Here we reconstruct the evolutionary history of Micromeria in the Canary Islands using eight nuclear markers. Our results show two centers of diversification for Micromeria, one in the eastern islands Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, the other in the western islands, Tenerife, La Palma and El Hierro. Suggested directions of inter-island colonization are the following: Gran Canaria to Lanzarote and La Gomera; Tenerife to La Palma (from the paleoisland of Teno), to El Hierro (from the younger, central part), and to La Gomera and Madeira (from the paleoislands). Colonization of La Gomera probably occurred several times from Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The taxonomic implications of these results are discussed. Incongruence among the different markers was evaluated and, using next generation sequencing, we investigated if this incongruence is due to gene duplication.

Neonatal resuscitation using a nasal cannula: a single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe our experience using a modified nasal cannula to deliver nasal continuous positive airway pressure and/or nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation during primary neonatal resuscitation of preterm and term newborns. STUDY DESIGN: Data were collected retrospectively for all neonates resuscitated with nasal cannula in the delivery room. The primary outcome was the number of newborns intubated in the delivery room. Secondary outcomes included need for chest compressions, intubations in the first 24 hours, air-leaks, and surfactant administration. RESULTS: A total of 102 infants were resuscitated using nasal cannula. Eight (7.8%) were intubated in the delivery room, five (4.9%) required chest compressions, and five (4.9%) had pneumothorax noted on chest X-ray. No deaths occurred in the delivery room. Twenty-eight patients (27.5%) received early rescue surfactant after admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: Neonatal resuscitation can be effectively performed in preterm and term newborns using a modified nasal cannula in the delivery room.

Genotoxic effects of environmental endocrine disruptors on the aquatic insect Chironomus riparius evaluated using the comet assay.

Genotoxicity is one of the most important toxic endpoints in chemical toxicity testing and environmental risk assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic potential of various environmental pollutants frequently found in aquatic environments and characterized by their endocrine disrupting activity. Monitoring of DNA damage was undertaken after in vivo exposures of the aquatic larvae of the midge Chironomus riparius, a model organism that represents an abundant and ecologically relevant macroinvertebrate, widely used in freshwater toxicology. DNA-induced damage, resulting in DNA fragmentation, was quantified by the comet assay after short (24 h) and long (96 h) exposures to different concentrations of the selected toxicants: bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), tributyltin (TBT) and triclosan (TCS). All five compounds were found to have genotoxic activity as demonstrated by significant increases in all the comet parameters (%DNA in tail, tail length, tail moment and Olive tail moment) at all tested concentrations. Persistent exposure did not increase the extent of DNA damage, except for TCS at the highest concentration, but generally there was a reduction in DNA damage thought to be associated with the induction of the detoxification processes and repairing mechanisms. Comparative analysis showed differences in the genotoxic potential between the chemicals, as well as significant time and concentration-dependent variations, which most likely reflect differences in the ability to repair DNA damage under the different treatments. The present report demonstrates the sensitivity of the benthic larvae of C. riparius to these environmental genotoxins suggesting its potential as biomonitor organism in freshwater ecosystems. The results obtained about the DNA-damaging potential of these environmental pollutants reinforce the need for additional studies on the genotoxicity of endocrine active substances that, by linking genotoxic activity to other biological responses, could provide further understanding of adverse effects in aquatic environments.

Gene Co-Expression Networks Offer New Perspectives on Sepsis Pathophysiology.

Sepsis is among the most common causes of death in intensive care units. Septic shock is a type of circulatory shock that shows signs and symptoms that are similar to non-septic shock. Despite the impact of shock on patients and the economic burden, knowledge of the pathophysiology of septic shock is scarce. In this context, weighted gene co-expression network analysis can help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of this condition. The gene expression dataset used in this study was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus, which contains 80 patients with septic shock, 33 patients with non-septic shock, and 15 healthy controls. Our novel analysis revealed five gene modules specific for patients with septic shock and three specific gene modules for patients with non-septic shock. Interestingly, genes related to septic shock were mainly involved in the immune system and endothelial cells, while genes related to non-septic shock were primarily associated with endothelial cells. Together, the results revealed the specificity of the genes related to the immune system in septic shock. The novel approach developed here showed its potential to identify critical pathways for the occurrence and progression of these conditions while offering new treatment strategies and effective therapies.

Brumadinho dam collapse induces changes in the microbiome and the antibiotic resistance of the Paraopeba River (Minas Gerais, Brazil).

The rupture of the Córrego do Feijão dam in Brumadinho (January 25, 2019) caused serious damage to the Paraopeba River and compromised the quality of its waters for human consumption. However, the possible effects of the dam collapse on the river microbiome and its antibiotic resistance profiles are unknown. The present study aims to analyse the possible shifts in microbial diversity and enhancement of antibiotic resistance in the Paraopeba River. To this end, two sampling campaigns (February and May 2019) were performed to obtain water across the entire Paraopeba River (eight sampling locations: Moeda, Brumadinho, Igarapé, Juatuba, Varginha, Angueretá, Retiro Baixo and Três Marias; ~464 km). This sampling scheme enabled determining the effects of the disaster on the river microbiome. Total DNA and microbial isolation were performed with these water samples. The 16S rRNA-based microbiome analyses (n = 24; 2.05 million 16S rRNA reads) showed changes in microbial diversity immediately after the disaster with the presence of metal-indicating bacteria (Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Novosphingobium, and Sediminibacterium). Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) identification of bacterial isolates (n = 170) also disclosed possible indicators of faecal contamination across the Paraopeba (Cloacibacterium, Bacteroides, Feaecalibacterium, Bifidobacterium, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Enterococcus and Escherichia). Antibiotic resistance increased significantly to ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, amoxicillin/clavulanate, ceftriaxone, and cefalotin among isolates obtained in May after the disaster. The effects of toxic mud on microbiomes were felt at all points sampled up to Anguereta. The ore mud may have exacerbated the growth of different antibiotic-resistant, metal-resistant, and faecal-indicating bacteria in the Paraopeba River.

Collapse of scallop Nodipecten nodosus production in the tropical Southeast Brazil as a possible consequence of global warming and water pollution.

Mollusc rearing is a relevant global socioeconomic activity. However, this activity has faced severe problems in the last years in southeast Brazil. The mariculture scallop production dropped from 51,2 tons in 2016 to 10,2 tons in 2022 in the Baia da Ilha Grande (BIG; Rio de Janeiro). However, the possible causes of this collapse are unknown. This study aimed to analyze decadal trends of water quality in Nodipecten nodosus spat and adult production in BIG. We also performed physical-chemical and biological water quality analyses of three scallop farms and two nearby locations at BIG in 2022 to evaluate possible environmental stressors and risks. Scallop spat production dropped drastically in the last five years (2018-2022: mean ± stdev: 0.47 ± 0.45 million). Spat production was higher in colder waters and during peaks of Chlorophyll a in the last 13 years. Reduction of Chlorophyll a coincided with decreasing spat production in the last five years. Warmer periods (>27 °C) of the year may hamper scallop development. Counts of potentially pathogenic bacteria (Vibrios) and Escherichia coli were significantly higher in warmer periods which may further reduce scallop productivity. Shotgun metagenomics of seawater samples from the five studied corroborated these culture-based counts. Vibrios and fecal indicator bacteria metagenomic sequences were abundant across the entire study area throughout 2022. The results of this study suggest the collapse of scallop mariculture is the result of a synergistic negative effect of global warming and poor seawater quality.

Effect of environmental stressors on the mRNA expression of ecdysone cascade genes in Chironomus riparius.

Chemical compounds produced by humans are continuously reaching the environment. In this work, we characterised the expression patterns of important endocrine-related genes involved in the ecdysone pathway in the fourth larval instar of the model species Chironomus riparius after exposure to three chemicals: ethinyl oestradiol (EE), nonylphenol (NP) and bis(tributyltin) oxide (TBTO). We used real-time PCR to analyse the gene expression levels of ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (usp), two genes that encode the dimerising partners of the functional ecdysone receptor; the orphan receptor ERR (oestrogen-related receptor), with an unknown function in invertebrates; and E74, an early response gene induced by ecdysteroids. We estimated the bioaccumulation potential, bioavailability and physicochemical properties of these chemicals, together with a number of other exogenous agents known to interfere with the hormonal system. We also provide a review of previous transcriptional studies showing the effect of all these chemicals on ecdysone cascade genes. This analysis provides useful data for future ecotoxicological studies involving invertebrate species. CAPSULE: Changes in transcriptional activities of EcR, E74, usp and ERR genes after exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals would be useful as molecular bioindicators of endocrine disruption in Chironomus riparius.

CEACAM7 polymorphisms predict genetic predisposition to mortality in post-surgical septic shock patients.

We carried out a retrospective exploratory study on 173 patients who underwent major surgery and developed septic shock after surgery. Our findings suggest that CEACAM7 rs1001578, rs10409040, and rs889365 polymorphisms could influence septic shock-related death in individuals who underwent major surgery.

PCR-based diagnosis of respiratory virus in postsurgical septic patients: A preliminary study before SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Respiratory viruses are part of the normal microbiota of the respiratory tract, which sometimes cause infection with/without respiratory insufficiency and the need for hospital or ICU admission. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of respiratory viruses in nontransplanted postoperative septic patients as well as lymphocyte count influence in their presence and its relationship to mortality. 223 nontransplanted postsurgical septic patients were recruited on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid prior to the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Patients were split into 2 groups according to the presence/absence of respiratory viruses. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors related to positive respiratory virus PCR test. Respiratory viruses were isolated in 28.7% of patients. 28-day mortality was not significantly different between virus-positive and virus-negative groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that lymphocyte count ≤ 928/µl is independently associated with a positive PCR result [OR 3.76, 95% CI (1.71-8.26), P = .001] adjusted by platelet count over 128,500/µL [OR 4.27, 95% CI (1.92-9.50) P < .001] and the presence of hypertension [OR 2.69, 95% CI (1.13-6.36) P = .025] as confounding variables. Respiratory viruses' detection by using PCR in respiratory samples of nontransplanted postoperative septic patients is frequent. These preliminary results revealed that the presence of lymphopenia on sepsis diagnosis is independently associated to a positive virus result, which is not related to a higher 28-day mortality.

Genetic Susceptibility to Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a widely held concern related to a substantial burden of morbidity, mortality and expenditure in the healthcare system. AKI is not a simple illness but a complex conglomeration of syndromes that often occurs as part of other syndromes in its wide clinical spectrum of the disease. Genetic factors have been suggested as potentially responsible for its susceptibility and severity. As there is no current cure nor an effective treatment other than generally accepted supportive measures and renal replacement therapy, updated knowledge of the genetic implications may serve as a strategic tactic to counteract its dire consequences. Further understanding of the genetics that predispose AKI may shed light on novel approaches for the prevention and treatment of this condition. This review attempts to address the role of key genes in the appearance and development of AKI, providing not only a comprehensive update of the intertwined process involved but also identifying specific markers that could serve as precise targets for further AKI therapies.