Vitamin-K-abhängige Mechanismen der kardiovaskulären Verkalkung bei CKD (C01)

• Subject Area: Nephrology
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 322900939

Patients with CKD display massively increased cardiovascular calcifications, which contribute to their higher cardiovascular mortality risk. Matrix Gla protein is an essential vascular calcification inhibitor when carboxylated through vitamin K-dependent mechanisms. We hypothesize that absolute or relative (functional) vitamin K deficiency in CKD patients can be treated to such a degree that we can fully correct this deficiency in order to maximize clinical benefit. This project aims to characterize in detail the dysregulation of vitamin K-dependent mechanisms of vascular calcification in CKD and will thereby reveal novel approaches towards the development of more rational and possibly novel therapeutic ways to halt progress of or even induce regression of cardiovascular calcifications in CKD patients.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 219: Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Complications in Chronic Kidney Disease
• Applicant Institution: Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Jürgen Floege, until 7/2023; Dr. Nadine Kaesler, since 8/2023; Professor Dr. Rafael Kramann, since 8/2023