How cancer immunotherapy can trigger T cells to damage the kidneys
Official title: Antigen-specific T cells in immunotherapy-associated acute kidney injury
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11309194 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for the specific immune T cells and targets that cause sudden kidney injury in people treated with cancer immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $304,391 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK137980-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309194 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who developed acute kidney injury or interstitial nephritis after receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer, or those willing to provide blood or kidney tissue samples, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose kidney problems are due to non-immune causes (such as obstruction, toxins, or infection) or who never received immunotherapy are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you developed kidney inflammation after cancer immunotherapy, this research aims to find the specific T cells and kidney proteins that drive that damage. Scientists will analyze patient samples alongside lab and animal models to trace which immune cells recognize kidney antigens. The team plans to map antigen-specific T cell responses and the pathways that cause inflammation. The goal is to use those findings to guide therapies that stop kidney injury while keeping cancer-fighting immunity intact.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to targeted treatments that prevent or treat immunotherapy-related kidney injury without weakening cancer therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior work has identified kidney autoantigens in other autoimmune kidney diseases, but applying antigen-specific T cell analysis to immunotherapy-associated kidney injury is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murakami, Naoka — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Murakami, Naoka
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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.