The Sickle Cell Center at Georgia Health Sciences University has a long-standing history of excellence in hemoglobinopathies research, particularly in the area of sickle cell disease. This funding opportunity brings together a group of distinguished researchers in the fields of sickle cell disease (basic, clinical, and translational), endothelin, basic research in kidney disease, studies in a mouse model of sickle cell disease (SCD), and pain research. The goal of this project is tripartite: 1) To study the role of endothelin-1 in SCD with regards to inflammation, vasculopathy, lung and kidney injury, and pain; 2) To train new investigators in multidisciplinary research activities in sickle cell disease and promote research interest in high school students through a summer student program; 3) To provide administrative and informatics infrastructure for the centers funded through this initiative. To achieve these goals, a multidisciplinary team of experts has been assembled to identify the role of endothelin-1 in SC. The role of endothelin-1 in the pathogenesis of vasculopathy, inflammation, organ damage, and pain and nociception will be studied in a transgenic mouse model of SCD. In Years 4 and 5 of this project, a small pilot clinical trial will be initiated to study safety and efficacy of an ETA receptor blockade on inflammation, pain, nociception, and the progression of sickle nephropathy and on microvascular blood flow and pulmonary arterial circulation in adults with SCD. The Translational Research Skills Development Core will train early stage investigators how to conduct high impact, multidisciplinary, translational, hemoglobinopathy research. This core will also train scholars to write competitive K or ROI grants to support transition to independent translational research careers. The Administrative Coordinating Center will provide support for the administrative and coordinating activities and create and maintain the informatics infrastructure necessary to support the activities of the EHRA program.

Public Health Relevance

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder and afflicts approximately 25 million people worldwide. Advances in the management of SCD over the past few decades have resulted in increased survival from childhood into adulthood.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01HL117684-03
Application #
8880270
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHL1-CSR-C (F1))
Program Officer
Luksenburg, Harvey
Project Start
2013-08-15
Project End
2018-05-31
Budget Start
2015-06-01
Budget End
2016-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
$1,605,979
Indirect Cost
$483,259
Name
Georgia Regents University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Augusta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30912
Li, Biaoru; Zhu, Xingguo; Hossain, Mir A et al. (2018) Fetal hemoglobin induction in sickle erythroid progenitors using a synthetic zinc finger DNA-binding domain. Haematologica 103:e384-e387
Lutz, Brianna Marie; Wu, Shaogen; Gu, Xiyao et al. (2018) Endothelin type A receptors mediate pain in a mouse model of sickle cell disease. Haematologica 103:1124-1135
De Miguel, Carmen; Sedaka, Randee; Kasztan, Malgorzata et al. (2018) Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) abolishes chronic high salt-induced renal injury and inflammation. Acta Physiol (Oxf) :e13227
Zhu, Xingguo; Xi, Caixia; Thomas, Bobby et al. (2018) Loss of NRF2 function exacerbates the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease in a transgenic mouse model. Blood 131:558-562
Xu, Bo; Cao, Jing; Zhang, Jun et al. (2017) Role of MicroRNA-143 in Nerve Injury-Induced Upregulation of Dnmt3a Expression in Primary Sensory Neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 10:350
Zhu, Xingguo; Li, Biaoru; Pace, Betty S (2017) NRF2 mediates ?-globin gene regulation and fetal hemoglobin induction in human erythroid progenitors. Haematologica 102:e285-e288
Zhao, Jian-Yuan; Liang, Lingli; Gu, Xiyao et al. (2017) DNA methyltransferase DNMT3a contributes to neuropathic pain by repressing Kcna2 in primary afferent neurons. Nat Commun 8:14712
Sun, Linlin; Zhao, Jian-Yuan; Gu, Xiyao et al. (2017) Nerve injury-induced epigenetic silencing of opioid receptors controlled by DNMT3a in primary afferent neurons. Pain 158:1153-1165
Umapathy, Nagavedi S; Gonzales, Joyce; Makala, Levi H et al. (2017) Impaired pulmonary endothelial barrier function in sickle cell mice. Haematologica 102:e26-e29
Wang, Shaocheng; Li, Qixian; Fang, Hongwei et al. (2017) Spinal cord stimulation versus other therapies in patients with Refractory Angina: A meta-analysis. Transl Perioper Pain Med 2:31-41

Showing the most recent 10 out of 43 publications