In AKI models induced by both ischemic reperfusion and sepsis, dexmedetomidine (DEX), an α (2)-adrenoceptor (α(2)-AR) agonist, protects against renal injury by restoring BMP-7 levels via a histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5)-dependent mechanism.24,25 Furthermore, we recently showed that the HDAC inhibitors trichostatin A (TSA) or valproic acid (VPA) attenuated cisplatin-induced renal tubular epithelial cell apoptosis by restoring BMP-7 expression via targeting HDAC2.26 Here, HDAC5 is linked to acute kidney injury.