How immune cells and hormones affect dialysis fistula veins
Official title: Adaptive immunity regulates arteriovenous fistula remodeling
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11238427 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how the immune system and sex hormones change the vein used for dialysis fistulas in people with kidney failure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | December 12, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $786,139 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL162580-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238427 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with end-stage kidney disease who need or already have an arteriovenous fistula for hemodialysis—especially those with poorly maturing or failed fistulas and women who experience worse outcomes—are most likely to benefit from future therapies based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use hemodialysis or who rely on other forms of vascular access (such as central venous catheters or synthetic grafts) may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
If you need a dialysis fistula, this research uses a mouse model that mimics how a human vein adapts to higher blood flow and chronic kidney disease to study immune effects. The team creates arteriovenous fistulas in mice (including a 5/6-nephrectomy CKD model) and examines innate and adaptive immune cell activity, vein wall thickness, and other signs of maturation. They pay special attention to sex differences and molecular signals that could explain why fistulas sometimes fail to mature, with the goal of finding targets for new treatments that help veins adapt better.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to treatments that help fistulas mature and stay open longer, reducing repeat surgeries and improving dialysis access.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies and early analyses of human vascular tissue suggest immune cells influence fistula remodeling, but translating those findings into proven patient treatments is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dardik, Alan — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Dardik, Alan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Cardiovascular changes after AV fistula creation and how autophagy affects it
A VA-led project looks at how blood vessel remodeling after AV fistula surgery may be helped by understanding and targeting autophagy.
-
Nanoparticle delivery to prevent AV fistula narrowing
A new nanoparticle-based approach aims to prevent AV fistula narrowing in people with kidney failure who rely on dialysis.
-
Molecular control of arterial-to-vein remodeling in fistula maturation
This study explores how vein cells change to help arteriovenous fistulas mature, with the aim of improving outcomes for people needing hemodialysis.
-
How the protein calprotectin affects healing of dialysis fistulas
Looking at whether a protein called calprotectin causes narrowing that keeps new dialysis fistulas from becoming usable for people with kidney failure.
-
Improving AV fistula longevity by guiding vein remodeling
A research project is exploring how to help veins adapt better when used for hemodialysis access so patients have fewer costly procedures.
-
Bioabsorbable wrap to improve AV fistula outcomes
A new bioabsorbable wrap is being studied to help AV fistula surgery heal better and stay open longer for people needing hemodialysis.
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.