Technical Articles

Klotho is a newly discovered anti-aging gene, mainly expressed in the kidneys (especially distal tubular epithelial cells), brain, and parathyroid gland. This gene exists in two forms: membrane-bound and secreted, and exhibits various biological functions closely related to kidney disease, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti apoptotic, anti fibrotic, and anti vascular calcification effects.

Klotho, as a novel gene with important anti-aging functions, has received widespread attention from the medical community since its discovery. Its main expression organs are concentrated in the kidney, brain, and parathyroid gland, among which the kidney is the organ with the most abundant Klotho expression, especially in the epithelial cells of the distal tubules of the kidney, showing a high expression state.

Aging represents a complex biological process characterized by the progressive decline of multiple physiological functions. The Klotho protein has emerged as a crucial regulator in this process, exerting anti-aging effects through modulation of various signaling pathways including Wnt, insulin signaling, and phosphate metabolism. This review summarizes current understanding of Klotho's molecular mechanisms and its therapeutic applications for age-related diseases.

The Klotho protein, encoded by the KL gene, is a transmembrane protein originally identified in mice. Its nomenclature derives from Clotho, the Fate goddess in Greek mythology who spins the thread of life. Emerging research has revealed that Klotho serves as a pleiotropic protein critically involved in lifespan regulation and associated with multiple age-related pathologies, making it a subject of intense investigation in geroscience.