PINK1 and acute kidney injury: Sepsis-AKI patients had lower mRNA expression of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) and PARKIN, key components in regulating mitophagy and therefore important in the removal of unhealthy mitochondria, as compared to control subjects (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively; Fig. 7d, e).