# Discovering Novel Genetic Causes and Molecular Mechanisms of Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 2022 · $231,750

## Abstract

Project Summary
Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure in the
absence of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli infection) is an extremely severe disease, frequently of genetic origin.
Many genetic mutations causing this disease have been found in genes encoding components of the
complement cascade, but more recently we have identified mutations in the gene diacylglycerol kinase epsilon
(DGKE), indicating that factors outside of the complement, possibly affecting the endothelium, are implicated in
aHUS and may represent future therapeutic targets. Pathogenic genetic variants have been identified in about
50% of these cases, leaving the etiology of the other half undiscovered. In this project we propose to identify
mutations in novel genes that cause aHUS in an extensive cohort of patients using next generation sequencing
and to study how DGKE loss of-function affects the biology of the endothelium causing aHUS by using
transgenic mouse models.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10465235
- **Project number:** 5R01DK126759-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **Principal Investigator:** Massimo Attanasio
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $231,750
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-15 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10465235

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10465235, Discovering Novel Genetic Causes and Molecular Mechanisms of Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (5R01DK126759-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10465235. Licensed CC0.

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