Following on the heels of studies showing a potentially beneficial effect for vasopressin receptor antagonists and rapamycin in the treatment of renal cystic disorders, an article in this month’s JASN by Gattone et al suggests another class of commonly-used nephrology-related drug which may be of use: calcimimetics (such as cinacalcet, or sensipar).
The logic is as follows: The growth of cysts in PKD is thought to be driven by low intracellular calcium levels and elevated cAMP levels. The calcium sensing receptor (upon which cinacalcet acts) is activated by binding to serum ionized calcium, and results in a G-protein-mediated decrease in cAMP levels & increase in intracellular calcium concentration. The investigators therefore suggested that cinacalcet might be an effective way to reduce cyst growth in late PKD.