Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Nephrology

Department of Molecular Biotechnology
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk
Wita Stwosza 63
80-308 Gdańsk, Poland

Head:

Prof. Agnieszka Piwkowska - tel. 58 523 54 87, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Research staff:

  • Prof. Dorota Rogacka - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Irena Audzeyenka, Ph.D., D.Sc. - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Patrycja Rachubik, PhD - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Maria Szrejder, PhD - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Tomasz Kulesza, PhD (ABM project) - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Olga Żołnierkiewicz PhD (Opus project) - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Justyna Sawicka PHD (Opus project) - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PhD students:

  • Klaudia Grochowalska, MSc; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Aleksandra Wróblewska MSc; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Karol Zakrzewski MSc; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Wiktor Jarecki MSc; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Aleksandra Kubiak MSc; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Research profile:

  • molecular basis of glomerular podocytes functions in health and disease (e. g. diabetes)
  • determination of factors involved in the regulation of glomerular filtration and albumin permeability of podocytes monolayer
  • biochemical basis of insulin resistance of podocytes

Grants:

  • The role of bile acid receptor TGR5 in insulin-dependent regulation of podocyte function and glomerular filtration barrier permeability (Sonata, 2024/55/D/NZ4/00228, P. Rachubik, 2025-2028)
  • Searching for new biomarkers for early detection of diabetes or diabetic kidney disease. . Medical Research Agency - KPO (IW.07.KPOD, KPOD.07.07-IW.07-0019/24, A. Piwkowska)
  • CD147 as a novel multifunctional modulator of podocyte metabolism and exosome biogenesis: Identification of new molecular pathways and therapeutic targets in diabetic kidney (Opus, 2024/53/B/NZ4/00986, A. Piwkowska (2025-2028)
  • Mitochondria-related mechanisms of exosome biogenesis and secretion in podocytes under metabolic stress (Opus, 2023/51/B/NZ5/00885, I. Audzeyenka, 2024-2028).
  • Role of beta-Aminoisobutyric acid (L-BAIBA) in regulation of the lipid-mitochondria metabolic crosstalk in podocytes and diabetic kidney (Sonata Bis, 2023/50/E/NZ5/00015, I. Audzeyenka, 2024-2029)
  • Basigin as a major regulator of podocyte function. The impact on the functioning of the glomerular filtration barrier in diabetes (Preludium Bis, 2023/50/O/NZ4/00004, A. Piwkowska, 2024-2028).
  • Glycogen metabolism and gluconeogenesis in glomerular podocytes: impact on podocyte function in normo- and hyperglycemia (Opus, 2021/41/B/NZ5/02611, D. Rogacka, 2022-2025)
  • The role of neutrophil serine proteases in the regulation of function of the podocyte and glomerular filtration barrier (Opus, 2021/41/B/NZ4/02797A. Piwkowska, 2022-2025)
  • The role of lactate and the metabolic GPR81 sensor in the regulation of the function of podocyte and glomerular filtration barrier in normoglycemia and hyperglycemia (Opus, 2019/33/B/NZ4/02407, A. Piwkowska, 2020-2023)
  • The role of klotho and NPP1 proteins in regulation of podocyte function (Opus, 2018/29/B/NZ4/02074; A. Piwkowska, 2019-2022)
  • Role of the lysosomes in insulin-dependent regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase expression and activity in podocytes. Influence on filtration barrier permeability (Preludium, 2018/29/N/NZ4/02212; P. Rachubik, 2019-2021)
  • Role of cGMP-dependent signaling in the regulation of expression and activity of deacetylase SIRT1: a novel mechanism of induction of insulin resistance in podocytes exposed to high glucose concentrations (Opus, 2016/23/B/NZ4/03448; D. Rogacka, 2017-2021)
  • Role of mitophagy and assessment of bioenergetic status in podocytes in the development of insulin resistance and impairment of the renal filtration barrier function in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (Sonata, 2016/23/D/NZ5/01449; I. Audzeyenka, 2017-2021)

Research equipment:

  • Cell culture equipment (CO2 incubators, laminar flow cabinets)
  • Scintylator and luminescence counter
  • Real-Time PCR Instruments
  • NanoPhotometer UV/VIS
  • Nucleic acids and proteins Electrophoresis Equipment
  • ELx808™ Absorbance Microplate Reader
  • Olympus fluorescence imaging microscope system
  • Nikon fluorescence imaging microscope system with CO2 incubator and confocal module
  • Seahorse XFp Analyzer for measurements of metabolic parameters
  • Multimode plate reader EnSpire
  • ChemiDoc MP Imaging System for imaging of gels and blots
  • NanoSight Pro with fluorescence module for Nanoparticle Tracing Analyses (Malvern Panalytical)
  • Luminex xMAP INTELLIFLEX System

Latest articles:

  • Audzeyenka I, Grochowalska K, Szrejder M, Kulesza T, Rachubik P, Rogacka D, Piwkowska A. Role of lactate dehydrogenase A in the regulation of podocyte metabolism and glucose uptake under hyperglycemic conditions. Rep. 2025; 15, 14162. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-98797-0
  • Rachubik P, Grochowalska K, Audzeyenka I, Rogacka D, Piwkowska A. Role of bile acid-dependent Takeda G-coupled protein receptor 5 (TGR5) in regulating AMPK expression in human podocytes. Biophys. Res. Commun. 2025; 759:151671. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2025.151671.
  • Grochowalska K, Szrejder M, Rachubik P, Audzeyenka I, Rogacka D, Narajczyk M, Piwkowska A. Role of metabolic sensor GPR81/HCAR1 in diabetic podocytes: downregulated lipolysis results in the deterioration of glomerular filtration barrier. Cell. Physiol. 2025; 240: e70014 doi: 10.1002/jcp.70014
  • Rogacka D, Rachubik P, Typiak M, Kulesza T, Audzeyenka I, Saleem MA, Sikora H, Gruba N, Wysocka M, Lesner A, Piwkowska A. Involvement of ADAM17-Klotho crosstalk in high glucose-induced alterations of podocyte function. J. Mol. Sci. 2025; 26: 731 doi: 10.3390/ijms26020731.
  • Audzeyenka I, Piwkowska A, Rogacka D, Makowski M, Kowalik M. Biological Evaluation of a rhodium(III) bipyridylsulfonamide complex: effects on mitochondrial dynamics and cytoskeletal remodeling in breast cancer cells. Med. Chem. 2024; 67: 21364-21379 doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c02284
  • Piwkowska A, Rachubik P, Typiak M, Kulesza T, Audzeyenka I, Saleem MA, Gruba N, Wysocka M, Lesner A, Rogacka D. ADAM10 as a major activator of reactive oxygen species production and klotho shedding in podocytes under diabetic conditions. Pharmacol. 2024; 28:116328 doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116328
  • Audzeyenka I, Szrejder M, Rachubik P, Grochowalska K, Kulesza T, Rogacka D, Narajczyk M, Piwkowska A. Lactate regulates respiratory efficiency and mitochondrial dynamics in primary rat podocytes. Free Radic. Biol. Med. 2024; 220:312-323 doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.05.022
  • Audzeyenka I, Rachubik P, Rogacka D, Saleem MA, Piwkowska A. Insulin induces bioenergetic changes and alters mitochondrial dynamics in podocytes. Endocrinol. 2024; 261:e230357. doi: 10.1530/JOE-23-0357
  • Żołnierkiewicz O, Rogacka D. Hyperglycemia – a culprit of podocyte pathology in the context of glycogen metabolism. Biochem. Biophys. 2024; 753:109927. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2024.109927. Review
  • Rachubik P, Rogacka D, Audzeyenka I, Szrejder M, Topolewska A, Rychłowski M, Piwkowska A. The Role of PKGIα and AMPK Signaling interplay in the regulation of albumin permeability in cultured rat podocytes. J. Mol. Sci. 2023; 24: 3952. doi: 10.3390/ijms24043952
  • Szrejder M, Typiak M, Pikul P, Audzeyenka I, Rachubik P, Rogacka D, Narajczyk M, Piwkowska A. Role of L-lactate as an energy substrate in primary rat podocytes under physiological and glucose deprivation conditions. Eur J Cell Biol. 2023; 102: 151298. doi: 1016/j.ejcb.2023.151298
  • Rogacka D, Rachubik P, Audzeyenka I, Kulesza T, Szrejder M, Myślińska D, Angielski S, Piwkowska A. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 5A by tadalafil improves SIRT1 expression and activity in insulin-resistant podocytes. Cell Signal. 2023; 105: 110622. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110622
  • Audzeyenka I, Szrejder M, Rogacka D, Angielski S, Saleem MA, Piwkowska A. β-Aminoisobutyric acid (L-BAIBA) is a novel regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and respiratory function in human podocytes. Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):766. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-27914-8
  • Rogacka D, Rachubik P, Audzeyenka I, Szrejder M, Kulesza T, Myślińska D, Angielski S, Piwkowska A. Enhancement of cGMP-dependent pathway activity ameliorates hyperglycemia-induced decrease in SIRT1-AMPK activity in podocytes: impact on glucose uptake and podocyte function. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2022; 1869(12):119362. doi:1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119362
  • Rachubik P, Szrejder M, Rogacka D, Typiak M, Audzeyenka I, Kasztan M, Pollock DM, Angielski S, Piwkowska A. Insulin controls cytoskeleton reorganization and filtration barrier permeability via the PKGIα-Rac1-RhoA crosstalk in cultured rat podocytes. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2022; 1869(9):119301. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2022.119301.
  • Audzeyenka I, Rachubik P, Typiak M, Kulesza T, Kalkowska D, Rogacka D, Rychłowski M, Angielski S, Saleem M, Piwkowska A. PTEN-induced kinase 1 deficiency alters albumin permeability and insulin signaling in podocytes. J Mol Med (Berl). 2022; 100:903-915. doi: 10.1007/s00109-022-02204-4.
  • Kulesza T, Typiak M, Rachubik P, Audzeyenka I, Rogacka D, Angielski S, Saleem MA, Piwkowska A. Hyperglycemic environment disrupts phosphate transporter function and promotes calcification processes in podocytes and isolated glomeruli. J Cell Physiol. 2022; 237: 2478-2491. doi: 10.1002/jcp.30700.
  • Grochowalska K, Pikul P, Piwkowska A. Insights into the regulation of podocyte and glomerular function by lactate and its metabolic sensor G-protein-coupled receptor 81. J Cell Physiol. 2022; 237(11): 4097-4111. doi: 10.1002/jcp.30874. Review.