Abstract: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the common clinical emergencies. The causes of AKI are diverse, and the pathogenesis of different types of AKI varies. NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), which is highly expressed in the kidney, is the main source of reactive oxygen species in kidney and plays an important role in pathogenesis of AKI. The treatment strategy of AKI with NOX4 as the target has gradually attracted attention. This article reviews recent researches on mechanism of NOX4 in different types of AKI and related therapeutic targets.

Key words: acute kidney injury, NAPDH oxidase 4, reactive oxygen species, pathogenesis