Targetting Monocytes With Microparticles To Prevent Kidney Allograft Rejection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$967,005.00
Summary
Whilst transplantation is lifesaving for many Australians with organ failure, it is a treatment rather than cure as recipients are dependent upon lifelong immunosuppression to prevent transplant rejection. Risks of death due to infection and cancer therefore remain high. We will test a new strategy in mice which modifies recipients of monocytes at the time of transplantation, to enable them to accept and tolerate the organ without ongoing need for expensive and dangerous immunosuppressive drugs.
A Novel And Unique Protein I-body For The Treatment Of Chronic Kidney Disease Through Targeting CXCR4
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$768,340.00
Summary
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem, with adverse outcomes of kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and premature death. Kidney transplantation and dialysis are the only options for the management of CKD, which results in a significant burden on the health system. The central aim of this project is to develop a novel therapeutic strategy to limit/reverse CKD, which will lead to a researcher-industry partnership in discovery of novel therapeutic agent.
TARGETING INNATE IMMUNITY THROUGH HMGB1 TO PREVENT DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$638,581.00
Summary
Diabetes is the leading cause of end stage kidney disease worldwide. As we do not completely understand how diabetes causes kidney failure, we have not been able to design treatments to prevent or cure this disease. The current proposal examines a new target within the immune system HMGB1 that appears likely to cause kidney damage in animals with diabetes. If true, this finding would open up a new series of targets in our search for treatments for diabetic kidney disease.
New Insights Into The Role Of Renal Endothelial Dysfunction In The Pathogenesis Of Glomerular Injury And Renal Fibrosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,722.00
Summary
This project will ascertain whether abnormal function of endothelial cells contribute to diabetic and non-diabetic kidney diseases, the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease. The outcome of this study will allow us to reevaluate the role of endothelial cells in kidney scarring, lead us to question our current approaches to the treatment and management of chronic kidney disease and eventually may be helpful for the design of novel therapies to treat chronic kidney diseases.
Kidney fibrosis is a serious complication seen in diabetic subjects. This process is mainly controlled by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). However, direct targeting of TGF-beta as a therapeutic approach is inappropriate due to its other important functions. Our preliminary data show that Cell Division Autoantigen 1 (CDA1) is critical for the disease causing activity of TGF-beta. We propose to use our recently generated unique CDA1 gene knockout mouse to demonstrate this important role ....Kidney fibrosis is a serious complication seen in diabetic subjects. This process is mainly controlled by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). However, direct targeting of TGF-beta as a therapeutic approach is inappropriate due to its other important functions. Our preliminary data show that Cell Division Autoantigen 1 (CDA1) is critical for the disease causing activity of TGF-beta. We propose to use our recently generated unique CDA1 gene knockout mouse to demonstrate this important role of CDA1.Read moreRead less
Contribution Of Bone Marrow-derived Cells To Renal Fibrosis And Elucidation Of Cell Signalling Mechanisms
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$427,703.00
Summary
This study investigates the contribution of bone marrow-derived adult stem cells to the development of renal scarring, an important process proceeding to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). There is increasing evidence demonstrating that bone marrow (BM)-derived cells can transform into renal cells and participate in the repair of damaged renal blood vessels. Our recent study demonstrated BM-derived stem cells can also transform to renal myofibroblasts, the major cell type that contributes to the de ....This study investigates the contribution of bone marrow-derived adult stem cells to the development of renal scarring, an important process proceeding to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). There is increasing evidence demonstrating that bone marrow (BM)-derived cells can transform into renal cells and participate in the repair of damaged renal blood vessels. Our recent study demonstrated BM-derived stem cells can also transform to renal myofibroblasts, the major cell type that contributes to the development of kidney scarring. This suggests that BM-derived adult stem cells have dual roles: to repair or worsen the development of renal scarring. The present study investigates this adult stem cell's transformation and explores the potential measures to enhance the benefits and to block the harmful roles from these adult stem cells. The importance of BM-derived stem cells in the repair of damaged kidney will be determined and thus will provide preliminary insights into the future utilization of BM-derived stem cells in the treatment of chronic renal disease. Understanding the dual roles of BM-derived stem cells in experimental renal scarring, will lead us to question our current thinking and approaches to the treatment and management of renal fibrosis, and perhaps fibrosis in other organs. Evidence of two opposite roles which BM-derived adult stem cells play in the process of renal scarring may be helpful not only for the design of novel therapies to prevent or retard the progression of renal fibrosis, but also for manipulating adult stem cells for the treatment of renal disease.Read moreRead less