How aging changes kidney–adrenal–heart communication
Age remodels kidney-adrenal-heart interorgan communication
Researchers are testing how aging alters signals between the kidney, adrenal glands, and heart to better understand age-related scarring and dysfunction in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11263735 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at how aging changes the chemical messages sent between the kidney, adrenal glands, and heart because those changes may cause scarring and worsening of both organs. Scientists will transplant kidney and adrenal tissue between young and old mice to see how aged signals affect the heart, and they will use fruit flies to find a membrane receptor that causes fibrosis. They will also study how age-related changes in water balance influence this organ cross-talk and compare differences between sexes. The goal is to identify the signals and receptors that could be targeted to prevent or reduce age-related cardiorenal fibrosis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with age-related heart or kidney dysfunction or cardiorenal syndrome would be the most likely future beneficiaries or candidates for treatments informed by this work.
Not a fit: Young people without age-related heart or kidney disease and those with entirely non-age-related causes of organ damage are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new targets for preventing or treating age-related heart and kidney scarring.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal studies have linked kidney hormones to cardiac scarring, but combining cross-species receptor discovery with tissue transplants to map age-driven interorgan signals is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tatar, Marc — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Tatar, Marc
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.