Why fat buildup damages kidneys in diabetic kidney disease
Official title: Molecular mechanisms underlying renal lipotoxicity and DKD progression
Funded at Morehouse School of Medicine · NIH-11323877 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether a kidney protein called KIM-1 causes tubule cells to take up fatty albumin and drive scarring in people with diabetic kidney disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morehouse School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $142,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149499-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323877 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with type 2 diabetes who have signs of diabetic kidney disease such as persistent albuminuria or declining kidney function would be the most relevant patients.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes or those whose kidney disease is caused by non-diabetic conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers will measure KIM-1 levels, lipid buildup, STAT3 activity, and fibrosis in kidney tissue to map how damage develops in diabetic kidney disease. They will use mouse models (wild-type and eNOS-deficient) at early, middle, and late disease stages and perform detailed tissue and molecular analyses. Lab experiments will test whether KIM-1 and STAT3 interact to increase uptake of albumin-bound palmitic acid and cause tubule cell injury. The team aims to connect these molecular events to the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis that leads to worsening kidney function.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, this could point to new ways to stop fat-driven kidney scarring and slow or prevent kidney failure in people with diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: KIM-1 is a known marker of tubular injury and has been linked to lipotoxic processes, but the specific KIM-1–STAT3 pathway driving lipid-induced fibrosis is a newer idea with limited direct evidence so far.
Where this research is happening
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Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Xueying — Morehouse School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Xueying
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.