Moreover, using a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in vivo mouse model of advanced kidney damage, we determined that a reduction in Cx43 expression (tubule-directed Cx43−/− UUO) or pharmacological inhibition (Peptide 5) of Cx43 hemichannels protects the kidneys from injury and paralleled a significant reduction in gene expression of NLRP3, IL1ß and gene expression of associated downstream pro-inflammatory mediators. Here, GJA1 is linked to Nephropathy.