An IRBLleida project analyses potential biomarkers and therapies to treat the effect of obesity on chronic kidney disease
Funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in the framework of the Strategic Action on Health 2024
Obesity is a worldwide health problem and represents a major risk factor for the development and progression of chronic kidney disease. In recent years, the incidence of nephropathy (kidney damage or abnormalities) associated with obesity, as one of its complications, has increased tenfold. To prevent and reverse the detrimental effects of obesity and abnormal lipid (fat) levels on kidney function, a project led by Milica Bozic, a researcher at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine of Lleida (IRBLleida), proposes to analyse a class of non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), as new factors involved in obesity-induced kidney disease.
The project ”miRNAs as Potent Regulators of Obesity-Associated Nephropathy. Identification of potential biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets (MIR-PROTECT)’ is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, through the call Ayuda Estratégica en Salud 2024, which has started in 2025 and will end in 2027.
‘If we confirm that certain miRNAs are altered in this pathology, they could be used as biomarkers to detect the disease in early stages, allowing a more accurate diagnosis and personalised monitoring of patients. It would also open the door to more specific and personalised treatments, which could help prevent or even reverse the kidney disease caused by obesity,’ explains Bozic.
miRNAs are small RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. miRNAs act as small ‘switches’ that can turn off or regulate the expression of certain genes, thus maintaining balance and harmony in the body. In this project, several cell and mouse models will be used to characterise miRNA function in obesity-associated nephropathy.
‘The results of this project will increase our understanding of the role of miRNAs in renal pathologies and establish their utility as a therapeutic target for renal disease that could significantly improve the care of patients with kidney disease. Thus, the results of this project will allow its transfer to clinical practice and establish new treatments for these patients. If the results of the project are robust and validated, they could justify the inclusion of new recommendations in clinical practice guidelines,’ said the researcher.
