Cyclical dehydration-induced renal injury and Mesoamerican nephropathy: as sweet by any other name?

Severe cyclical dehydration induces chronic renal injury in rodents. This effect is attenuated by global fructokinase deficiency, suggesting possible roles for fructokinase and fructose metabolism in mediating or promoting dehydration-induced injury. Clinical and pathological similarities between this injury model and endemic Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) have fueled speculation that dehydration-induced injury and MeN may share common mechanistic underpinnings involving fructokinase that can be targeted to mitigate disease development, progression, and/or severity.