Third party funded individual grant
Acronym: STOP-FSGS
Start date : 01.05.2019
End date : 30.04.2022
To characterize their relevance we developed a parabiosis model in zebrafish to allow a joint circulation that permits a continuous exchange of soluble factors between the two animals. Morpholino injections to repress a podocyte specific gene in one embryo did not only cause glomerular injury in the injected fish but led also to proteinuria and podocyte foot process effacement in the fused parabiotic partnerfish, indicating a transfer of circulating soluble factors. We will use the model to functionally characterize the most recently discussed candidates, suPAR, CLCF-1 and cathepsin L. Moreover, our proteinuria model in zebrafish will be used to test glomerulopathic effects of sera from patients suffering from primary FSGS as a novel personalized diagnostic approach for early diagnosis of primary FSGS induced by soluble factors.