Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Translating fundamental insights in podocyte metabolism and cell cycle regulation: development of a new treatment for Stopping crescentic Immune Glomerulonephritis

Project description

New therapy to prevent rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis

Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is an inflammatory syndrome of the kidneys characterised by the rapid destruction of the glomeruli, leading to end-stage renal disease. Current RPGN treatment with immunosuppression brings remission, but the risk of end-stage renal failure at five years is near 30 %, with many patients developing chronic kidney disease. Previously, the partners have shown that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma pathway is critical in the prevention of the inflammatory response during RPGN via the protection of kidney podocytes. The EU-funded StopIG project aims to transform this finding into innovative therapy. It will provide proof-of-concept of the treatment by preventing podocyte death and dysfunction and promoting anti-inflammatory action.

Objective

Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is a syndrome of the kidney that is characterized by a rapid loss of renal function, with severe damage of glomeruli, the filtering units of the kidney through glomerular crescent formation (crescentshaped scars) seen on kidney biopsies. If left untreated, it rapidly progresses into acute renal failure and death within months. Regardless of the underlying cause, RPGN involves severe injury to the kidneys' glomeruli, with many of the glomeruli containing characteristic glomerular crescents. Currently RPGN is treated with broad-spectrum immunosuppression causing remission of the immune injury achieved in the majority of patients. Nevertheless, risk of end- stage renal failure at 5 years is still near 30 %, with a number of patients developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Moreover, such treatments are associated with significant morbidity due to infections and malignancy. ERC-supported efforts in our lab have unravelled local mediators and transcription factors that critically control the tolerance of intrinsic glomerular cells to inflammatory insult. My team has shown that the PPARγ (peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptors gamma) pathway is instrumental in the protection of the inflammatory response during immunecomplex mediated RPGN, in large part through protection of kidney cells, named podocytes. We now plan to move forward to transform this finding from our TARGET-GLOMDIS ERC grant into a clinically effective innovative therapy. We expect to bring original therapeutic effect by preventing podocytes death and dysfunction in addition to promoting anti-inflammatory actions. The STOPIG project represents a unique opportunity to provide proof-of-concept for a new and cost-effective therapy for patients with RPGN based on stimulation of PPARγ with repurposed pioglitazone.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2018-PoC

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 150 000,00
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 150 000,00

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0