Although predominantly secreted into the urine, THP is also released at the basolateral membrane as a monomeric form toward the interstitial compartment, where it mediates a protective crosstalk between TAL and S3 segments of the proximal tubules, downregulating inflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1and TNF-α mainly during AKI recovery (Safirstein et al., 1991; Rampoldi et al., 2011; Heitmeier et al., 2014). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is acute kidney injury.