A functional adrenal cortex is essential for life as evidenced by the early death of patients with congenital adrenal hypoplasia. The autosomal recessive mouse mutant adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) is a good model for the study of adrenal organogenesis and shares some striking similarities with miniature adult congenital adrenal hypoplasia in humans. Similar to human patients, mutant acd/acd animals lack an """"""""adrenocortical X zone and possess a dysfunctional definitive zone, and the majority die shortly after birth. Serum corticosterone levels are low and ACTH levels are significantly elevated, consistent with a primary adrenal defect. The identification and characterization of the acd mutation via the following specific aims is the focus of this proposal:
Aim 1. Perform a detailed characterization of acd mutant animals;
Aim 2. Refinement of the genetic and physical map of the acd locus on mouse chromosome 8, and Aim 3. Clone and characterize the acd gene. The identification of the acd gene will be an important step in the understanding of both normal and abnormal adrenal growth. These studies will provide the groundwork for future investigations of abnormal adrenal development in humans and may lead to important therapeutic applications for humans with congenital adrenal insufficiency. The career development program outlined in this proposal will build on my prior research experience and will also provide for the development of new techniques, interaction with a new mentor, and additional didactic training in Developmental Biology and Bioinformatics. The educational climate at the University of Michigan is outstanding and will allow me to foster these new skills. Ultimately, through this additional training I will be poised to continue my long-term career goal of becoming an Independent Investigator.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08HD042487-04
Application #
6897320
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Program Officer
Coulombe, James N
Project Start
2002-07-01
Project End
2007-06-30
Budget Start
2005-07-01
Budget End
2006-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$130,680
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
073133571
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
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Hockemeyer, Dirk; Palm, Wilhelm; Else, Tobias et al. (2007) Telomere protection by mammalian Pot1 requires interaction with Tpp1. Nat Struct Mol Biol 14:754-61
Else, Tobias; Theisen, Brian K; Wu, Yipin et al. (2007) Tpp1/Acd maintains genomic stability through a complex role in telomere protection. Chromosome Res 15:1001-13
Hutz, Janna E; Krause, Andrea S; Achermann, John C et al. (2006) IMAGe association and congenital adrenal hypoplasia: no disease-causing mutations found in the ACD gene. Mol Genet Metab 88:66-70
Keegan, Catherine E; Hutz, Janna E; Else, Tobias et al. (2005) Urogenital and caudal dysgenesis in adrenocortical dysplasia (acd) mice is caused by a splicing mutation in a novel telomeric regulator. Hum Mol Genet 14:113-23
Keegan, Catherine E; Camper, Sally A (2003) Mouse knockout solves endocrine puzzle and promotes new pituitary lineage model. Genes Dev 17:677-82