Blocking kidney nerve signals to slow polycystic kidney disease
Renal Denervation to Treat Polycystic Kidney Disease: Mechanisms and Mediators
The team will try a catheter procedure that interrupts kidney nerve signals to reduce cyst growth and high blood pressure in people with polycystic kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369948 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be hearing about a research effort that looks at whether disrupting nerves to the kidney (renal denervation) can slow cyst growth in autosomal dominant and recessive PKD. In animal models, increased kidney nerve activity was linked to more cysts, and removing those nerves reduced cyst formation and lowered blood pressure. The work combines lab studies and preclinical models to understand how nerve signals affect vasopressin-driven cyst growth and to guide possible human procedures. If translated to patients, the treatment would likely be an outpatient catheter procedure done at a specialized center.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults and children diagnosed with ADPKD or ARPKD, particularly those with early-to-moderate disease who want alternatives to long-term vasopressin-receptor blockers, would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People with end-stage kidney disease on dialysis, those who have already received a kidney transplant, or patients whose cyst disease is too advanced for interventional procedures are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could slow cyst growth and lower blood pressure without the ongoing thirst and frequent urination caused by current vasopressin-blocking drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Catheter-based renal denervation has been used for high blood pressure and showed promise in animal PKD models, but using it for human polycystic kidney disease remains largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Banek, Christopher T — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Banek, Christopher T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.