Soluble Flt-1 in chronic kidney disease: sites of production, regulation and direct effects on heart vascularisation in the rat 5/6 nephrectomy model

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Marcus Brand
• Subject Area: Nephrology
• Term: from 2011 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 195603990

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease, given that renal insufficiency is associated with impaired heart vascularisation. We demonstrated that soluble VEGF receptor 1 (sFlt1) levels, a VEGF antagonist that impairs angiogenesis, are increased in CKD patients as well as in the 5/6 nephrectomised rat. The mechanisms that upregulate sFlt-1 in CKD are not completely understood. However, it is known that secretion of sFlt-1 is stimulated via angiotensin II receptor (AT1R) activation and subsequent calcineurin signalling in different cell types. In this context, we have raised the following hypotheses: 1) increased sFlt-1 levels lead to impaired heart angiogenesis; 2) the AT1R blocker and/or a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) and/or a specific antibody against sFlt1 are able to normalise sFlt-1 levels; and consequently 3) avoid loss of heart vessels. 4) In addition, AT1R blocker therapy should be able to avoid heart remodelling. By infusion of sFlt-1 in control rats and by using the 5/6 nephrectomised rat model, we aim to investigate these hypotheses and study the possible use of the AT1R blocker as a therapeutic strategy against cardiovascular disease in CKD.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Privatdozentin Giovana Seno Di Marco, Ph.D.