# Preventing vascular calcification in kidney disease

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · $577,302

## Abstract

Project Summary: Title: Preventing vascular calcification in kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects roughly 9-10% of the world’s population and contributes directly to over
one million deaths annually. Mortality risk and morbidity in young CKD and dialysis patients correlates strongly
with vascular calcification severity (VC). The precise processes responsible for the build-up of mineral remain
unknown. Recent research has highlighted the likely role of calciprotein particles (CPPs) in initiation and
progression of VC. Calciprotein particles are small colloidal nanoparticles found in the circulation that induce the
calcification and osteogenic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Secondary crystalline calciprotein
particles (CCP2) that transform from primary amorphous particles (CPP1) play a major role in the VC process.
Importantly, as renal disease progresses a suppression of factors inhibiting CPP2 genesis occurs. Our
preliminary studies show reduced serum levels of a candidate factor “ASARM peptide” in CKD rodents and
patients with end-stage kidney disease. Importantly, CKD rodent models treated with synthetic ASARM peptide
have major and significant suppression of VC with improved renal function. We hypothesize ASARM peptide(s)
could play a significant role in the etiology of vascular calcification by interacting with CPPs. This study will
determine the utility of synthetic ASARM-peptide for preventing VC and the mechanisms involved. Also we will
determine whether abnormal expression or processing of circulating ASARM peptides occurs in patients with
CKD and determine if ASARM levels predict calcification propensity or associate with markers of calcification
risk.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10804186
- **Project number:** 1R01HL167073-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** PETER S ROWE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $577,302
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-05 → 2028-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10804186

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10804186, Preventing vascular calcification in kidney disease (1R01HL167073-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10804186. Licensed CC0.

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