AKT2 is essential to maintain podocyte viability and function during chronic kidney disease

Rapamycin (also known as sirolimus) is a potent immunosuppressive drug that is often used after organ transplant to prevent rejection, but it also can cause kidney dysfunction. Fabiola Terzi and her colleagues now show this side effect of rapamycin is due to targeting of mTORC2 and suppression of AKT2 activity in podocytes. They also show that AKT2 normally acts to maintain podocyte viability and structure during chronic kidney disease.