How immune cells and hormones affect dialysis fistula veins
Adaptive immunity regulates arteriovenous fistula remodeling
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 ID | NIH-11238427 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
New York, United States
- 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
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.