How Tamm‑Horsfall protein helps kidneys recover after sudden injury
Official title: The immunomodulatory function of Tamm-Horsfall protein in acute kidney injury
Funded at Rlr VA Medical Center · NIH-11137556 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a kidney protein called Tamm‑Horsfall helps the kidney heal after sudden injury in people with acute kidney injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rlr VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX003935-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137556 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People hospitalized with acute kidney injury or those at high risk for AKI (for example after major surgery or severe infection) would be most relevant to future therapies based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with long‑standing end‑stage kidney disease on dialysis or chronic kidney conditions unrelated to acute injury are unlikely to benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mice that either make or lack Tamm‑Horsfall protein (THP) to see how the protein affects immune cells in the kidney after acute injury. They will track neutrophil entry, the number and activity of healing macrophage‑type cells, and tissue repair over time using imaging and laboratory tests. The work builds on earlier findings that THP influences immune cell behavior and focuses on how THP supports recovery. Results are intended to guide future efforts to develop therapies that alter THP activity to help people recover from acute kidney injury.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that boost the kidney's natural healing and improve recovery after acute kidney injury.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies by this team showed THP affects neutrophil infiltration and recovery, but using THP‑based approaches as treatments remains an early, mostly preclinical strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Rlr VA Medical Center
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ashkar, Tarek Maurice — Rlr VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ashkar, Tarek Maurice
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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.