Kidney Week 2025 Annual Meeting-Innovations in Pediatric Nephrology and Kidney Development

Video Transcription

Video Summary

This recorded oral abstract session on innovation in pediatric nephrology and kidney development featured multiple studies spanning genetics, immunology, nutrition, social determinants, development, organoids, and therapeutics.<br /><br />Dr. Michelle McNulty presented immune-cell eQTL mapping in 211 children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (CureGN), integrating whole-blood RNA and WGS with a prior GWAS. Sixteen percent of eGenes were unique to CureGN versus GTEx/Neptune. Colocalization and TWAS highlighted loci including TNFSF15 (lower expression linked to higher SSNS risk; strongest effect in monocytes) and a signal near COLHM6 where DSC showed stronger functional support, including monocyte-specific chromatin accessibility linked to DSC expression.<br /><br />Srishti Sahu examined lectin complement activation in childhood IgA nephropathy. Most biopsies showed C3 and C5b-9 deposits. Plasma C5b-9 correlated with proteinuria, inflammatory Oxford scores, and fibrosis. Collectin-11 was elevated, present in glomeruli and circulating immune complexes, correlated with C5b-9, and was upregulated in mesangial cells by soluble CD89—supporting Collectin-11 as a potential trigger and biomarker/therapeutic target.<br /><br />Dr. Evan Rajaji-Aksha used a reflux-prone mouse model to test kidney functional reserve (RFR) after single vs recurrent UTI. Baseline GFR remained stable despite fibrosis, but recurrent UTIs eliminated RFR, correlating inversely with fibrosis—suggesting subclinical CKD detectable by RFR.<br /><br />Asar Amla showed preterm birth in mice disrupts nephron progenitor dynamics (stress pathway upregulation, altered proliferation/differentiation), reducing nephron number and increasing injury markers later, with sex differences.<br /><br />Dr. Molly Vega reported in 302 children on CRRT that failure to reach ≥10% enteral protein ratio by day 7 strongly predicted mortality; survivors showed increasing enteral adaptation over time.<br /><br />Dr. Ankana Daga linked Child Opportunity Index (COI) to pediatric dialysis outcomes: lower COI associated with minority status, public insurance, farther travel, lower PD use, and significantly longer time to transplant even after adjustment.<br /><br />George Yaku described stromal TCF21 deletion causing loss of stromal subpopulations, emergence of endomucin+ pro-fibrotic stromal cells, disrupted epithelial maturation, and adult fibrosis with impaired function.<br /><br />Dr. Yuhei Higashi demonstrated organoid-on-chip pulsatile flow improved vascular ingrowth and nephron maturation versus continuous/static conditions and enabled luminal flow; it also promoted cystogenesis in a PKD model.<br /><br />Dr. Luciani presented preclinical evidence that SGLT2 inhibition (dapagliflozin) normalizes overactive mTORC1 signaling in cystinosis models, restores lysosomal/autophagy function and proximal tubule differentiation, and reduces tubulopathy—supporting plans for a pediatric clinical trial.

Asset Subtitle

Moderator(s): Dorey Glenn, Tahagod Mohamed

Presentation(s):

Immune Cell Expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) Analysis of Pediatric Patients with Steroid-Sensitive Nephrotic Syndrome from the CureGN Cohort - Michelle McNulty
Unraveling the Lectin Complement Pathway Dynamics in Childhood IgAN - Srishti Sahu
Kidney Functional Reserve Changes Following Single vs. Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in a Mouse Model of Vesicoureteral Reflux - Evan Rajadhyaksha
Altered Nephron Progenitor Cell Dynamics Drive Long-Term Kidney Abnormalities Following Preterm Birth - Athar Amleh
Early Enteral Failure Predicts Survival in Children Receiving CRRT - Molly Vega
Child Opportunity and Chronic Pediatric Dialysis Outcomes - Ankana Daga
Tcf21 Preserves Stromal Cell Identity and Restrains Profibrotic Fate Adoption During Kidney Development - George Yacu
Engineered Flow Dynamics Drive Vascular and Pathological Features in Kidney Organoids - Yuhei Higashi
SGLT2 Inhibitor Repurposing Reveals Novel Treatment Avenues for Cystinosis - Alessandro Luciani

Note: Continuing education credits are not being offered for this session.

Meta Tag

Date 11/8/2025

Pathway 1 Pediatric Nephrology

Session ID 519896

Keywords

pediatric nephrology innovation

steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS)

immune-cell eQTL mapping

CureGN cohort

genome-wide association study (GWAS) integration

TNFSF15 locus

IgA nephropathy (IgAN)

lectin complement pathway

Collectin-11 (CL-11)

kidney functional reserve (RFR)

recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) model

preterm birth nephrogenesis disruption

continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) nutrition

Child Opportunity Index (COI) and dialysis outcomes