When APOM is low: how it can harm kidneys in Alport and related glomerular diseases
APOM deficiency contributes to renal failure in glomerular diseases
This project looks at whether low levels of the protein APOM cause lipid buildup that damages podocytes and speeds kidney failure in people with Alport syndrome and other glomerular diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11361041 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient point of view, the team will compare APOM levels and lipid handling in kidney tissue and blood from people with Alport and other glomerular diseases to patterns seen in animal and cell models. They will study gene expression in patient samples and in Col4a3 knockout mice and cultured podocytes to see how APOM, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), and cholesterol interact. The researchers will test whether restoring APOM function or targeting S1P-related pathways reduces cholesterol and sphingolipid buildup and protects podocytes in models. Findings from human samples and experiments will be combined to identify druggable targets that could be tested in future therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with Alport syndrome or other glomerular kidney diseases who are followed at participating centers or who contribute samples to research cohorts.
Not a fit: People without glomerular disease or whose kidney problems arise from unrelated causes are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that protect podocytes and slow kidney failure in Alport syndrome and other glomerular diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked disrupted cholesterol transport and sphingolipid metabolism to podocyte injury, but targeting APOM/S1P in human kidney disease remains a new and unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
Coral Gables, United States
- University of Miami School of Medicine — Coral Gables, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fornoni, Alessia — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Fornoni, Alessia
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.