Functional analysis of the novel podocyte-specific gene R3hdml for renal aging and progressive renal disease

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr. Wibke Bechtel-Walz
• Subject Area: Nephrology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 415813655

Here we aim to analyze the functional significance of the so far unknown protein R3hdml. R3hdml is a putative serine protease inhibitor that shows a podocyte-specific expression pattern during renal development. It was identified in a finger print expression analysis of murine podocytes and seems to be differentially regulated during renal aging and diabetic nephropathy (according to several GWAS studies). We generated a conditional R3hdml-knockout mouse line that will be further analyzed within this proposal. The animal studies have been accepted by the Regierungspräsidium. Additionally, we aim to investigate the functional relevance of R3hdml in in vitro studies of murine and human podocytes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants