The Role Of Renal Dendritic Cells In Infection And Immunity Under Immunosuppression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,143.00
Summary
Kidney transplantation is the best treatment for kidney failure but it is frequently complicated by bacterial and viral infections that can cause rejection and may cause loss of the kidney. This grant will study the role that dendritic cells in the kidney play in causing rejection and preventing infection. With the knowledge gained from these studies, we will be able to discover new ways to prevent rejection and treat infections of the kidney post transplant.
The Role Of IL-18 In Proliferative And Crescentic Glomerulonephritis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$56,177.00
Summary
Inflammation of the small filters with the kidneys, known as glomerulonephritis, is the commonest cause of kidney failure in Australia. People whose kidneys have failed need either kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. Our understanding of the immune events that cause glomerulonephritis is patchy. However, it is known that T cells are the directors of immune responses in the body and direct the immune response in glomerulonephritis. Chemical messengers known as cytokines direct the way T cells ....Inflammation of the small filters with the kidneys, known as glomerulonephritis, is the commonest cause of kidney failure in Australia. People whose kidneys have failed need either kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant. Our understanding of the immune events that cause glomerulonephritis is patchy. However, it is known that T cells are the directors of immune responses in the body and direct the immune response in glomerulonephritis. Chemical messengers known as cytokines direct the way T cells behave. One of these cytokines, known as interleukin-18, has been shown to stimulate T cells and other immune cells to induce inflammation that is helpful when the body is fighting infection but is harmful in immune diseases. This project will determine the role of interleukin-18 in glomerulonephritis by studying the way it talks to T cells and the mechanisms by which it incites inflammation in the kidney. Mice with glomerulonephritis will be treated by blocking the actions of interleukin-18 to discover whether interleukin-18 produced by the animal is important in kidney damage induced by glomerulonephritis, to understand the way in which this cytokine works and to assess whether blocking interleukin-18 could be a useful treatment for glomerulonephritis in humans. Current treatments for glomerulonephritis are often ineffective and have unwanted side effects. Knowledge of the way interleukin-18 participates in the immune response in glomerulonephritis may lead directly or indirectly to more effective and more targeted treatments for different forms of glomerulonephritis.Read moreRead less
The Role Of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 In Diabetic Complications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,144.00
Summary
Most heart attacks and strokes arise from narrowing of the arteries. This process is regulated by a number of hormonal pathways. One of the most important is the renin angiotensin system. Our group has demonstrated important changes in this pathway which play a pivotal role in regulating the development of atherosclerosis and its response to treatment. It is predicted that these studies will provide critical information to develop innovative treatment strategies for cardiovascular disease.
A Randomised Placebo-controlled Trial Of Antibiotics To Prevent Urinary Tract Infection In Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$735,000.00
Summary
This study is needed to determine whether a common clinical practice long-term antibiotic treatment for children following urinary tract infection (UTI) - is safe and effective in preventing further UTI and if so, whether all appropriate children are being treated. UTI will affect about 10% of Australian children by high school age (88,000 children per year). Because UTI may damage the kidneys, the management priority for children with UTI has been prevention of further infection. Currently this ....This study is needed to determine whether a common clinical practice long-term antibiotic treatment for children following urinary tract infection (UTI) - is safe and effective in preventing further UTI and if so, whether all appropriate children are being treated. UTI will affect about 10% of Australian children by high school age (88,000 children per year). Because UTI may damage the kidneys, the management priority for children with UTI has been prevention of further infection. Currently this means the identification of children thought to be most at risk of recurrent UTI by renal tract imaging. Those found to have reflux of urine from the bladder to the kidney (present in about 30% of those with UTI) are then placed on antibiotics fro 2-5 years. Unfortunately there has never been a properly designed trial to test whether antibiotics do really prevent UTI and if so, whether children with reflux are the appropriate and only group requiring treatment. Long term antibiotics may in fact do more harm than good because of side effects like skin, bowel and blood problems and because resistant bacteria may develop. The design of this study involves the random allocation of placebo or antibiotic (cotrimoxazole, the usual antibiotic given in this case) to about 800 children after their first symptomatic UTI. These children are treated and followed for one year to determine the rate of futher UTI in both groups. Any difference in outcome between the two groups of children will be because of the antibiotic treatment. This study may prove long-term antibiotics are ineffective and therefore should not be routinely used. In this case investigation of children to detect vesicoureteric reflux would serve little purpose and should be abandoned. Alternatively antibiotic treatment may be shown as effective treatment for preventing further UTI and in this case the study will clearly identify those children who will benefit.Read moreRead less