How APOL1 gene changes can lead to kidney damage
Official title: Mechanisms of Kidney Diseases Associated With APOL1 Variation
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11252568 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring how APOL1 gene changes found mainly in people of African ancestry can harm kidney cells and contribute to certain non-diabetic chronic kidney diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | February 2, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $678,596 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK135265-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11252568 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People of African ancestry who carry two APOL1 risk variants or Black patients with unexplained proteinuric kidney disease (such as FSGS) would be most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose kidney disease is clearly due to diabetes, structural causes, or other known conditions, or those without APOL1 risk variants, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
This project compares normal and high-risk APOL1 proteins to see which other proteins they interact with and where they travel inside cells. The team uses lab-grown cells with controlled APOL1 expression, a proximity-tagging method to label nearby proteins, and mass spectrometry to map each APOL1 version's neighborhood. They test whether APOL1 causes cell death and examine differences in the secretory pathway and Golgi, including RAB6+ vesicles. The goal is to find specific molecular pathways that could point to future targets for therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal targets for new treatments or preventive strategies for APOL1-related kidney disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have suggested APOL1 risk variants can be harmful to kidney cells, but the exact molecular mechanisms remain unclear, so this work builds on and extends earlier findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sedor, John R. — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Sedor, John R.
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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.