Irene Chernova, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Nephrology)Cards
About
Research
Publications
Featured Publications
Lupus nephritis and beyond: Kidney-intrinsic genetic risk for antibody deposition
Chernova I, Craft J. Lupus nephritis and beyond: Kidney-intrinsic genetic risk for antibody deposition. Cell Reports Medicine 2021, 2: 100479. PMID: 35028618, PMCID: PMC8714907, DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100479.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThe ion transporter Na+-K+-ATPase enables pathological B cell survival in the kidney microenvironment of lupus nephritis
Chernova I, Song W, Steach H, Hafez O, Al Souz J, Chen P, Chandra N, Cantley L, Veselits M, Clark M, Craft J. The ion transporter Na+-K+-ATPase enables pathological B cell survival in the kidney microenvironment of lupus nephritis. Science Advances 2023, 9: eadf8156. PMID: 36724234, PMCID: PMC9891690, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf8156.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB cellsAutoimmune diseasesAmelioration of proteinuriaLupus nephritis biopsiesB cell infiltrationSodium-potassium adenosine triphosphataseB cell survivalPotassium adenosine triphosphataseLupus nephritisCell infiltrationKidney microenvironmentTissue injuryTherapeutic targetPharmacological inhibitionElevated sodium concentrationLupusHostile microenvironmentHigh expressionKidneySodium concentrationGenetic knockoutCell survivalDiseaseCellsAdenosine triphosphatase
2026
APOL1-risk alleles modulate T-cell receptor signaling to promote allograft rejection
Pell J, Tanvir E, Sun Z, Chernova I, Reghuvaran A, Nagata S, Guerra M, Choi J, Al Chaar S, Mizuno H, Dong K, Tian X, Ishibe R, Franchin B, Cravedi P, Kumar A, Barsotti G, Shi H, De Kumar B, Smithson S, Song W, He J, Chong A, Pober J, Somlo S, Gibson I, Popik W, Zhang Z, Craft J, Azzi J, Murakami N, Ishibe S, Heeger P, Menon M. APOL1-risk alleles modulate T-cell receptor signaling to promote allograft rejection. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2026 PMID: 42262888, DOI: 10.1172/jci193173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchT cell receptorT cellsCD8+T cellsCanonical T cell receptorsSingle-cell transcriptomicsCD8+T cell activityCD8+T cell infiltrationT cell receptor stimulationBulk transcriptomesT cell functionT cell receptor signalingKidney transplant cohortPhysiological expressionAPOL1 risk allelesKidney transplant rejectionRisk of kidney diseaseExpression of wild typeTacrolimus levelsCardiac transplantationAllograft rejectionTransplant cohortER-Ca2Kidney rejectionTransplant rejectionCytokine productionDehydration promotes intracellular lipid synthesis and accumulation
Carty J, Selvasingh J, Zuchowski Y, Nam H, PĂ©nalva C, Nanayakkara G, Jennings E, Voss K, Adame E, Tossberg J, Yap W, Melzer M, Viquez O, McCall A, Piotrowski E, Bessho R, Cao S, Leaptrot K, Schrimpe-Rutledge A, Codreanu S, Sherrod S, McLean J, Trapani J, Cottam M, Wan M, Shrivastava D, Delker D, Wilson M, Hasenour C, Lantier L, Chernova I, Young J, Haase V, Vazquez-Medina J, Kosma D, Kim P, Cartailler J, Zhang M, Zent R, Harris R, Watts J, Terker A, Bock F, Rathmell J, Rodan A, Arroyo J. Dehydration promotes intracellular lipid synthesis and accumulation. Nature Communications 2026 PMID: 42185304, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-73534-x.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Lupus Nephritis: Immune Cells and the Kidney Microenvironment
Chernova I. Lupus Nephritis: Immune Cells and the Kidney Microenvironment. Kidney360 2024, 5: 1394-1401. PMID: 39120952, PMCID: PMC11441818, DOI: 10.34067/kid.0000000000000531.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsIntrinsic renal cellsLupus nephritisImmune cellsRenal cellsProgression to end-stage kidney diseaseActivation of immune cellsProinflammatory cytokine milieuSystemic immunosuppressive effectsAutoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosusDisease systemic lupus erythematosusImmune cell activationSystemic lupus erythematosusEnd-stage kidney diseaseLN therapyCytokine milieuKidney cell functionImmune infiltrationKidney microenvironmentOrgan manifestationsLupus erythematosusAntigen presentationCytokine productionImmunosuppressive effectsKidney diseaseCell activation
2023
IL-21 and tissue-specific signals instruct Tbet+CD11c+ B cell development following viral infection
Song W, Sanchez G, Mayer D, Blackburn H, Chernova I, Flavell R, Weinstein J, Craft J. IL-21 and tissue-specific signals instruct Tbet+CD11c+ B cell development following viral infection. The Journal Of Immunology 2023, 210: 1861-1865. PMID: 37133336, PMCID: PMC10247523, DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAge-associated B cellsIL-21Acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infectionB cellsLymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infectionB cell activationHumoral immunityLymphoid organsVirus infectionMouse modelViral infectionB cell developmentCell activationLymphotoxin αVivo generationTissue-specific signalsInfectionDe novo generationOrgan contributionIFNTissue microenvironmentCell developmentLiverPivotal contributorStage-specific roles
2022
A Novel Role of APOL1 Risk-Alleles in T-Cell Activation and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
Pell J, Reghuvaran A, Nagata S, Banu K, Shi H, Chernova I, Ishibe S, Menon M. A Novel Role of APOL1 Risk-Alleles in T-Cell Activation and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2022, 33: 410-411. DOI: 10.1681/asn.20223311s1410d.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThe Ion Transporter Na+-K+-ATPase Enables Pathological B Cell Survival in the Kidney Microenvironment of Lupus Nephritis
Chernova I, Craft J. The Ion Transporter Na+-K+-ATPase Enables Pathological B Cell Survival in the Kidney Microenvironment of Lupus Nephritis. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2022, 33: 486-487. DOI: 10.1681/asn.20223311s1486d.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDevelopment of Tbet- and CD11c-expressing B cells in a viral infection requires T follicular helper cells outside of germinal centers
Song W, Antao OQ, Condiff E, Sanchez GM, Chernova I, Zembrzuski K, Steach H, Rubtsova K, Angeletti D, Lemenze A, Laidlaw BJ, Craft J, Weinstein JS. Development of Tbet- and CD11c-expressing B cells in a viral infection requires T follicular helper cells outside of germinal centers. Immunity 2022, 55: 290-307.e5. PMID: 35090581, PMCID: PMC8965751, DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.01.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFollicular helper cellsB cellsGC B cellsHelper cellsMemory subsetsRobust recall responsesB cell subsetsGerminal center formationB cell generationAcute infectionCell subsetsRecall responsesTh1 cellsProximal deliveryCD11cGerminal centersIntegrin LFA-1Viral infectionAntibody productionVLA-4Splenic retentionLFA-1TbetBCL6 expressionInfection
2021
Intrarenal B Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Upregulate Na+-K+-ATPase to Facilitate Survival in a High-Sodium Environment
Chernova I, Craft J. Intrarenal B Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Upregulate Na+-K+-ATPase to Facilitate Survival in a High-Sodium Environment. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2021, 32: 452-452. DOI: 10.1681/asn.20213210s1452a.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News
News
- March 18, 2025
Investigating Immune Cells in the Kidney
- January 06, 2025
Request for Nominations: 2025 Iva Dostanic Award
- July 12, 2023
Dr. Chernova Researches How B Cells Survive in the Kidney
- May 09, 2023
Irene Chernova is the 2023 Dostanic Award Recipient