Birth Weight, Adult Weight And Podocyte Depletion.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$796,252.00
Summary
A major role of our kidneys is to filter our blood. A key cell type in our kidney filters is an octopus-shaped cell known as the podocyte. If we are not born with enough podocytes, or if the filters grow too large after birth due for example to excessive weight gain, the podocytes cannot adequately filter the blood, and this can lead to kidney disease. We will measure podocyte endowment at birth, and assess the effects of weight gain and loss after birth on podocyte features and kidney health.
Defining The Central Role Of Podocyte Depletion In The Development, Progression And Management Of Glomerular Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$690,855.00
Summary
Podocytes are key cellular components of the kidney’s filtration barrier. Podocyte depletion (cell loss or injury) is a key event in most forms of kidney disease. We will investigate interactions between podocyte depletion and two major risk factors for kidney disease (diabetes and hypertension), assess whether podocyte depletion influences therapeutic outcomes, and commence efforts to develop podocyte-specific therapies.
Mineralocortioid Receptor-Mediated Injury In Progressive Kidney Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$707,008.00
Summary
Diabetes is the major cause of kidney failure. Activation of a hormone receptor (the mineralocorticoid receptor-MR) can promote kidney injury. Current drugs blocking MR can suppress diabetic kidney disease but are limited by their poor specificity and harmful side effects. Our study will help improve strategies for blocking MR by identifying the cell types responsible for MR-mediated injury and by examining whether a new class of drug targeting MR is a superior therapy to current MR inhibitors.
Role Of Intrarenal Nerves In The Progression Of Hypertension And Diabetic Nephropathy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$736,391.00
Summary
Hypertensive diabetic patients are at greater risk of developing kidney disease and are often resistant to anti-hypertensive drug therapies. Removing the nerves to the kidneys can lower blood pressure however little is known of changes that occur to the nerves within the kidney in diabetes. This proposal will investigate how nerves within the kidney contribute to diabetic and diabetic-hypertensive kidney disease and whether removing these nerves slows the progression of disease.
The Role Of The Cytoplasmic Domain Of Tissue Factor In Maintenance Of The Glomerular Filtration Barrier.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$487,066.00
Summary
This research aims to understand mechanisms of normal kidney function and the development of chronic kidney damage associated with diseases such as nephritis and diabetes. These diseases represent a significant burden of illness in Australia.
Human Podocyte Depletion, Glomerular Hypertrophy And Glomerulosclerosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,490.00
Summary
Many kidney diseases commence with injury to glomeruli (kidney filters) which leads to glomerular scarring and loss. There is strong evidence from animal studies that a specific glomerular cell type (the podocyte) is central to this process of glomerular injury. In this study, we will analyse the relationships between podocyte depletion and glomerular scarring in human kidneys from 5 racial groups (white and African Americans, white and Aboriginal Australians, Senegalese Africans).