# Resting state MRI to map autoregulation of the kidney

> **NIH NIH R21** · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $262,975

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The kidney maintains glomerular filtration, despite constant and potentially damaging natural fluctuations in
systemic blood pressure. This autoregulation is critical to maintaining the structural and functional integrity of
the kidney, and failure of autoregulation is strongly implicated in progression of kidney pathologies associated
with diabetic and hypertensive nephropathy. There are several identified mechanisms of autoregulation of local
blood pressure and flow, including a myogenic response and tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). These
mechanisms are associated with distinct bands of low frequencies of oscillation in perfusion pressure, but there
are currently no tools to investigate the spatial localization of these mechanisms or develop them for potential
clinical use. Here we develop the tool of resting- state magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure and map
oscillations in vascular diameters associated with these two mechanisms. This is based on our recent
observations of reproducible resting- state fluctuations in MRI with frequency bands consistent with myogenic
and TGF mechanisms. We will first investigate this tool in the healthy rat kidney and measure patterns in the
spectra within and between kidneys during the life course of the animal. We will validate the MRI
measurements using optical microscopy, and determine whether the detected autoregulation is eliminated or
reduced with administration of furosemide. Finally, we will investigate the use of resting- state MRI to measure
a decrease in autoregulation during development of nephropathy in the spontaneously hypertensive rat model.
If successful, this work will provide a noninvasive tool to more completely understand mechanisms and
develop predictive markers to investigate genetic models, guide new therapies, inform allograft transplantation,
and monitor kidney health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10539432
- **Project number:** 1R21DK134104-01
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kevin M Bennett
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $262,975
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-08-20 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10539432

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10539432, Resting state MRI to map autoregulation of the kidney (1R21DK134104-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10539432. Licensed CC0.

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