Calcium is a pervasive second messenger and transduces endocrine signaling pathways initiated by binding of many hormones and growth factors to membrane receptors. The primary Ca2+ receptor is calmodulin (CaM) and Ca2+/CaM activates several CaM kinases in endocrine cells. Our long-term objective is to elucidate how a recently discovered CaMKIV cascade participates in Ca2+/CaM-mediated gene expression and regulates cell function. Analysis of Camk4~'~ mice identified a CaMKIV cascade in hematopoeitic stem cells (HSC) and cerebellar granule cells that regulates CREB phosphorylation and CBP levels leading to increased Bcl-2 and BDNF mRNA, respectively. We will determine how hormonal activation of the CaMKIV cascade regulates hematopoeisis by influencing maintenance of HSCs. HSCs isolated from CaMKIV- deficient mice cannot reconstitute bone marrow when transplanted into irradiated recipient host mice in a manner suggesting that CaMKIV regulates stem cell homeostatis by suppressing inappropriate proliferation and exhaustion of HSCs. To evaluate this hypothesis we will: 1) elucidate the importance of the CaMKIV kinase cascade in HSC maintenance in vivo. HSCs will be isolated from mice null for one or more of the CaMKIV cascade proteins and evaluated in bone marrow reconstitution assays; 2) address the idea that the CaMKIV cascade in HSCs is regulated by specific members of the Wnt family of growth factors. The Wnt proteins are required for embryonic development and Wnt 3A and Wnt 5A, have been implicated in HSC maintenance. Wnt 5A has been shown to initiate a Ca2+ signal and we will use isolated HSCs to investigate if Ca2+ activates a CaMKIV cascade that includes CREB and CBP and leads to upregulation of pro-survival genes such as Bcl-2; 3) evaluate the mechanism by which the CaMKIV cascade regulates CBP and identify key target genes by which the cascade influences HSC maintenance. We will use cultured cells to determine the molecular mechanism by which CaMKIV regulates CBP levels. We will use cultured cells and bone marrow transplantation to determine if Bcl-2 is a primary target of the CaMKIV cascade in HSCs and,if not, evaluate the importance of other target genes identified by previous RNA microarray analysis. Identification of such downstream genes may suggest efficacious drug targets for achieving better ex vivo expansion of HSCs for bone marrow transplantation patients.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DK074701-35
Application #
7408631
Study Section
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology Study Section (MCE)
Program Officer
Wright, Daniel G
Project Start
1977-05-01
Project End
2011-03-31
Budget Start
2008-04-01
Budget End
2009-03-31
Support Year
35
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$300,414
Indirect Cost
Name
Duke University
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
044387793
City
Durham
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27705
Racioppi, Luigi; Means, Anthony R (2012) Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2: roles in signaling and pathophysiology. J Biol Chem 287:31658-65
Sankar, Uma; Means, Anthony R (2011) Gfer is a critical regulator of HSC proliferation. Cell Cycle 10:2263-8
Teng, Ellen C; Racioppi, Luigi; Means, Anthony R (2011) A cell-intrinsic role for CaMKK2 in granulocyte lineage commitment and differentiation. J Leukoc Biol 90:897-909
Green, Michelle F; Scott, John W; Steel, Rohan et al. (2011) Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta is regulated by multisite phosphorylation. J Biol Chem 286:28066-79
Nakaya, Helder I; Wrammert, Jens; Lee, Eva K et al. (2011) Systems biology of vaccination for seasonal influenza in humans. Nat Immunol 12:786-95
Teng, Ellen C; Todd, Lance R; Ribar, Thomas J et al. (2011) Gfer inhibits Jab1-mediated degradation of p27kip1 to restrict proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells. Mol Biol Cell 22:1312-20
Green, Michelle F; Anderson, Kristin A; Means, Anthony R (2011) Characterization of the CaMKK?-AMPK signaling complex. Cell Signal 23:2005-12
Todd, Lance R; Damin, Matthew N; Gomathinayagam, Rohini et al. (2010) Growth factor erv1-like modulates Drp1 to preserve mitochondrial dynamics and function in mouse embryonic stem cells. Mol Biol Cell 21:1225-36
Cipolletta, E; Monaco, S; Maione, A S et al. (2010) Calmodulin-dependent kinase II mediates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and is potentiated by extracellular signal regulated kinase. Endocrinology 151:2747-59
Colomer, Josep; Schmitt, Allison A; Toone, Eric J et al. (2010) Identification and inhibitory properties of a novel Ca(2+)/calmodulin antagonist. Biochemistry 49:4244-54

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