VCAM1 and Balkan nephropathy: To address whether the emergence of damage-associated PT cells is specific to IRI injury or appears in other cases of acute kidney injury, we investigated the co-expression of SOX9 and VCAM1 in models of toxic renal injury (aristolochic acid nephropathy, AAN) and obstructive renal injury (unilateral ureteral obstruction, UUO), which lead to severe fibrosis.