Thu H. Le

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Primary Appointment

Professor of Medicine, Medicine- Nephrology

Education

  • Fellowship, Duke University Medical Center
  • MD, George Washington University
  • Residency, Duke University

Research Interests

Genes that regulate progression of kidney disease and its cardiovascular effects.

Research Description

The primary focus of my laboratory is on genetic susceptibility to vascular injury and chronic kidney disease. We use mouse models of human diseases, and take advantage of naturally occurring strain differences in susceptibility to disease for gene mapping, with the goal of candidate gene identification and validation. For example, using a genetic sensitizer in a mouse model of renal vascular injury, we recently identified Gstm1 gene as a candidate modifier gene that regulates susceptibility to vascular injury. Through in vitro functional characterization, we uncovered that Gstm1 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, likely through its role in handling oxidative stress. Our ultimate goal is to perform translational studies to test the effects of genetic variants of our candidate genes in human disease in carefully selected human cohorts.

Personal Statement

The primary focus of my laboratory is on genetic susceptibility to vascular injury and chronic kidney disease. We use mouse models of human diseases, and take advantage of naturally occurring strain differences in susceptibility to disease for gene mapping, with the goal of candidate gene identification and validation. For example, using a genetic sensitizer in a mouse model of renal vascular injury, we recently identified Gstm1 gene as a candidate modifier gene that regulates susceptibility to vascular injury. Through in vitro functional characterization, we uncovered that Gstm1 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, likely through its role in handling oxidative stress. Our ultimate goal is to perform translational studies to test the effects of genetic variants of our candidate genes in human disease in carefully selected human cohorts.

Selected Publications

Gigliotti JC, Le TH, Ets in the Kidney-Unraveling the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Renal Damage in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension., 2017; Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. () . PMID: 29038288

Cechova S, Dong F, Chan F, Kelley MJ, Ruiz P, Le TH, MYH9 E1841K Mutation Augments Proteinuria and Podocyte Injury and Migration., 2017; Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. () . PMID: 28993503

Tin A, Scharpf R, Estrella MM, Yu B, Grove ML, Chang PP, Matsushita K, Köttgen A, Arking DE, Boerwinkle E, Le TH, Coresh J, Grams ME, The Loss of GSTM1 Associates with Kidney Failure and Heart Failure., 2017; Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. () . PMID: 28720685

Sung SJ, Ge Y, Dai C, Wang H, Fu SM, Sharma R, Hahn YS, Yu J, Le TH, Okusa MD, Bolton WK, Lawler JR, Dependence of Glomerulonephritis Induction on Novel Intraglomerular Alternatively Activated Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages and Mac-1 and PD-L1 in Lupus-Prone NZM2328 Mice., 2017; Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950). 198(7) 2589-2601. PMID: 28219886 | PMCID: PMC5360484

Chu PL, Gigliotti JC, Cechova S, Bodonyi-Kovacs G, Chan F, Ralph DL, Howell N, Kalantari K, Klibanov AL, Carey RM, McDonough AA, Le TH, Renal Collectrin Protects against Salt-Sensitive Hypertension and Is Downregulated by Angiotensin II., 2017; Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : JASN. 28(6) 1826-1837. PMID: 28062568 | PMCID: PMC5461790