# Regulation of exosome release and its role in acute kidney injury.

> **NIH NIH R01** · AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $346,500

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a condition that results in an abrupt decrease in renal function. AKI is associated
with morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Unfortunately, the incidence rate of AKI in hospitalized patients
is still increasing. Furthermore, incomplete recovery from AKI leads to chronic kidney disease (CKD), and in
some cases, end-stage renal disease, which is also associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. To
date, we lack methods to predict which patients will suffer long-term sequelae from AKI and treatments for AKI
except for supportive care.
Exosomes, nanometer-sized extracellular vesicles have been recognized as a fingerprint of the cellular states,
as well as a mode of intercellular communication in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. We recently
identified the role of exosomes in renal cell tubule growth, which is recapitulated and required for renal tubule
regrowth from damaged kidneys in AKI. Given the lack of clinical therapies and the critical links between AKI
and CKD, we will focus on whether exosomes released in AKI is an endogenous recovery mechanism, which
might be a tool to both treat AKI and prevent CKD. This proposal investigates the role of urinary exosome proteins
in recovery following AKI: Aim 1 will investigate how exosomes are produced, and their impact on in vitro healing
and tubule growth in the tubules-on-dish. We will manipulate the gene expression and/or mutation of regulatory
proteins in exosome biogenesis, in order determine the effects of the manipulation in renal cell tubule growth.
Aim 2 will investigate the role of controlled exosome release in in vivo mouse models of AKI. Using longitudinal
analyses of urinary exosomes released during AKI, viral delivery of exosome-incompetent target proteins, and
engineered exosome-mediated protein delivery, we will investigate the role of exosome-loaded proteins in renal
tubule regrowth. Signal transfer via exosomes within proximal tubules and proximal-to-distal tubules during AKI
will be determined as well. The results of these studies will determine if exosome release is an endogenous
recovery mechanism following AKI, and may generate therapeutic targets, as well as candidate prognostic
biomarkers for future studies in patients suffering from AKI.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10634529
- **Project number:** 5R01DK120510-05
- **Recipient organization:** AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kenneth Kwon
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $346,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10634529

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10634529, Regulation of exosome release and its role in acute kidney injury. (5R01DK120510-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10634529. Licensed CC0.

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