Fig. 6

The impact of uremic toxin-activated AhR on kidney diseases and complications. Activation of AhR by uremic toxins has been implicated in various organs attributed to renal damage. In the brain, AhR activation promotes blood–brain barrier disruption, cognitive impairment, anxiety and neuron–astrocyte interaction dysfunction. AhR activation promotes the progression of systemic hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea. In drug metabolism, AhR activation facilitates drug clearance in the liver. Similarly, AhR activation in skeletal muscle exacerbates ischemic myopathy. The cardiovascular system is also impacted, with AhR activation in vessels contributing to thrombosis, peripheral artery disease, vascular inflammation and systemic hypertension. In the kidney, AhR activation promotes toxin clearance, chronic kidney disease and diabetic nephropathy and mediates acute kidney injury. AhR may be a potential marker for predicting systemic lupus erythematosus with renal damage. This figure was created with BioRendercom