Journal of Clinical Medicine (Jan 2024)
Middle Molecular Uremic Toxin and Blood Purification Therapy
Abstract
The purpose of blood purification therapy is to remove uremic toxins, and middle molecules (MMs) are a specific target. An MM is defined as a solute that passes through the glomerulus with a molecular weight in the range of 0.5–58 kDa, and new classifications of “small-middle 0.5–15 kDa,” “medium-middle 15–25 kDa,” and “large-middle 25–58 kDa” were proposed. In Japan, the removal of α1-microglobulin (αMG) in the large-middle range has been the focus, but a new theory of removal has been developed, emphasizing the antioxidant effect of αMG as a physiological function. Clinical proof of this mechanism will lead to further development of blood purification therapies.
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