How DNA methylation affects kidney healing after sudden injury
DNA methylation in kidney repair after ischemic AKI
This project looks at whether changes in DNA methylation change how kidneys heal after sudden ischemic injury, with the goal of helping people who have had acute kidney injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Augusta University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Augusta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175508 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are studying how chemical tags on DNA called methylation change after sudden loss of blood flow to the kidney and whether those changes cause poor repair. They use laboratory models of ischemia-reperfusion and cell experiments, measure global and gene-specific methylation, and test whether blocking DNA methyltransferases with drugs like 5-aza alters repair. The team is examining targets such as Hoxa5 and microRNA-219 that were found to be hypermethylated and turned down after injury. Findings could point to ways to reduce scarring and long-term kidney decline after AKI.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have recently experienced ischemic acute kidney injury or are at high risk for AKI would be the eventual candidates for therapies developed from these findings.
Not a fit: Patients whose kidney disease is unrelated to ischemic injury or who already have advanced chronic kidney disease may not receive direct benefit from results focused on early repair processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify molecular targets to prevent maladaptive repair and reduce the risk that acute kidney injury progresses to chronic kidney disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and animal studies have suggested DNMT involvement and shown that DNMT inhibitors like 5-aza can change repair patterns, but translating these findings into proven human treatments remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Augusta, United States
- Augusta University — Augusta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dong, Zheng — Augusta University
- Study coordinator: Dong, Zheng
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.