Buchanan · Frontiers in endocrinology 2020 · narrative review · n=?

Klotho, Aging, and the Failing Kidney.

Cited 241 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review of biological mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies without systematic search or original human data.

PubMed 32982966 · doi:10.3389/fendo.2020.00560 · record verified 2026-08-28

What was done

This narrative review summarizes the role of the α-Klotho protein and Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 (FGF23) signaling in phosphate homeostasis, vitamin D metabolism, mammalian aging, and chronic kidney disease. It outlines potential senotherapeutic strategies to restore or enhance Klotho expression, including exogenous administration, agonists, dietary changes, and gut microbiome modulation.

What was found

The abstract provides no quantitative data or numerical outcomes. It reports that α-Klotho serves as the receptor for FGF23, that Klotho levels decline with advancing age alongside increasing phosphate toxicity, and that Klotho deficiency is directly involved in chronic kidney disease pathophysiology.

Why it matters

It conceptualizes Klotho as a central mechanistic target connecting mineral metabolism, renal failure, and systemic aging, framing several emerging senotherapeutic approaches for intervention.

Limits

The abstract provides no empirical data, sample sizes, or quantitative metrics. As a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search protocol and does not present direct clinical trial evidence in humans.

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