Could blocking a protein help protect the kidneys and heart after acute kidney injury?
Professor Neeraj Dhaun (Bean) from the University of Edinburgh has been awarded a £250,000 research project grant to investigate a protein called LRG1 and whether targeting it could help prevent long-term complications after acute kidney injury (AKI).
What happens after acute kidney injury?
Acute kidney injury (AKI) describes a situation when the kidneys suddenly stop working properly. AKI can cause partial or complete loss of kidney function; this can be temporary or longer lasting. It can affect people of all ages and can be caused by illness, infection, surgery or reduced blood flow to the kidneys.
While many people recover from AKI, some may go on to develop chronic kidney disease (CKD), while others are at greater risk of heart problems.
Inflammation is a key part of what happens after acute kidney injury (AKI). When the kidneys are damaged, the body's immune cells move into the injured tissue to help repair it. In many cases, this response supports healing. However, sometimes the immune cells continue to trigger inflammation even after the initial injury has passed. Instead of helping the kidneys recover, ongoing inflammation can cause further damage and increase the risk of long-term kidney disease. Researchers are still working to understand why this healing response sometimes shifts into a harmful cycle of persistent inflammation.
Investigating a protein linked to kidney damage
In this study, Bean and his team are investigating a protein called LRG1.
LRG1 is found at higher levels in organs that have been damaged and has been linked to a range of diseases. Although its role in acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been studied before, the team has found that people with kidney disease have increased levels of LRG1.
"Our early findings suggest that LRG1 may affect how immune cells behave after kidney injury. Instead of helping the kidneys heal, these cells may continue to drive inflammation, increasing the risk of ongoing damage. By understanding the role of LRG1 in this process, we hope to uncover why some people recover from AKI while others develop long-term kidney disease." Professor Neeraj Dhaun (Bean).
Could LRG1 become a new target for treatment?
Bean and his team will investigate whether LRG1 plays a role in the long-term kidney and heart problems that can develop after acute kidney injury (AKI).
To do this, they will test whether lowering or removing LRG1 reduces damage and protects the kidneys and heart following an AKI. They will also examine how LRG1 influences the body's immune response, particularly the behaviour of white blood cells that help repair damaged tissue.
By understanding how LRG1 affects inflammation and healing, the researchers hope to determine whether it could be a new target for treatments that prevent long-term complications after AKI.
What could this mean for kidney patients?
By understanding exactly how LRG1 works, Bean and his team could identify new ways to prevent ongoing damage after AKI.
"This research could help pave the way for new treatments for patients with acute kidney injury and also reduce their risk of developing serious kidney and heart problems in the future," said Professor Neeraj Dhaun (Bean). "It has real potential to benefit patients quickly because there is already a drug that blocks LRG1 that is being tested in patients to treat eye disease. If our studies show that reducing LRG1 protects the kidneys and heart after AKI, it will provide a strong argument for testing this approach in people with kidney disease.
Have you been diagnosed with kidney disease?
Request your free Kidney Kit today.
You'll find tips and support from kidney patients, delicious recipes, simple exercise plans and more.
Why not make a donation now?
Every £ counts towards transforming treatments for people living with kidney disease.