CHANGES IN MORPHOLOGY AND ELECTRICAL FUNCTION OF THE HEART DURING THE TRANSITION FROM ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY TO CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

• Grant number: 24/22438-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Marcela Sorelli Carneiro Ramos
• Grantee: Denival Nascimento Vieira Júnior
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects over 13 million people worldwide annually, characterized by the sudden loss of kidney function, manifested by oliguria and increased creatinine levels. AKI can progress to chronic kidney disease (CKD) if it persists for more than 90 days. AKI is classified into three stages by KDIGO, based on creatinine levels and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). CKD, defined by a decrease in GFR and the presence of kidney damage markers, affects approximately 843 million people globally. Diabetes and hypertension are its main causes, with AKI being a significant risk factor for CKD. Additionally, patients with CKD are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases, with significantly elevated cardiovascular mortality rates. Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) exemplifies the mutual dysfunction between the heart and kidneys, where inflammation and electrolyte imbalances contribute to arrhythmias and sudden death. Myocardial fibrosis, associated with electrical disturbances, amplifies this risk, making sudden cardiac death a common cause of death in patients with advanced CKD. In light of this, the aim of this project is to study the temporal course of cardiac structural, electrical, and molecular remodeling during the transition from AKI to CKD in mice. To achieve this, a CKD induction protocol will be conducted using a 0.3% adenine-rich diet for 90 days in male and female mice aged 6-8 weeks and weighing approximately 23 g. The experimental groups will be compared with their respective control groups that will consume a regular diet. After CKD induction, renal function parameters, heart function and morphology, as well as cellular biology analyses to evaluate markers of kidney and heart damage, will be assessed. Data will be analyzed and compared using the Student's t-test or two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Statistically significant values will be considered those with p<0.05. (AU)