# Measuring metabolically active kidney tissue in autosomal dominant  polycystic kidney disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2021 · $242,061

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT:
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is characterized by development and growth of
multiple cysts requiring kidney replacement therapy in 50% of patients by the age of 60 years. Animal models
implicate kidney hypoxia, potentially stemming from a mismatch between increased renal energy demand and
impaired substrate metabolism, as a unifying pathway in the development and progression of kidney cysts and
a potential therapeutic target. Yet, a major clinical research impediment in ADPKD is a way to accurately and
non-invasively determine oxygen consumption and metabolic activity of kidney tissue in affected patients.
Thus, there is a need for imaging biomarkers that can differentiate and quantify metabolically active vs. inactive
kidney tissue to advance our understanding of the metabolic perturbations of ADPKD and inform the
development of new therapeutic targets while changes may still be reversible.
In response to NOT-DK-20-034, the investigative team seeks to develop a voxel-wise pharmacokinetic positron
emission tomography (PET) model that measures the clearance of 11C-acetate in every voxel of the kidney.
Next, they plan to integrate 11C-acetate PET and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to
determine the relationships among metabolically active kidney volume, renal blood flow and cyst burden in
individuals with ADPKD and preserved kidney function. To achieve these goals, the investigative team consists
of experts in PET and MRI research (Drs. Bjornstad, Gitomer, Kline, Blondin, Richard and Chin), and ADPKD
(Drs. Gitomer, Kline, Chonchol, and Nowak). The current work will contribute to their long-term goal to
characterize and target the mechanisms underlying cyst growth in ADPKD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10281837
- **Project number:** 1R21DK129720-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Petter Bjornstad
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $242,061
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10281837

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10281837, Measuring metabolically active kidney tissue in autosomal dominant  polycystic kidney disease (1R21DK129720-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10281837. Licensed CC0.

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