BMP7 is an essential progenitor cell maintenance factor. The parent project examines the role of BMP7 signaling from progenitors to stroma in regulating progenitor differentiation. The proposed revision extends these investigations to studies of the direct effects of BMP7 on progenitors and makes use of a novel cell- based technique to explore challenging questions regarding regulatory signaling within the progenitor cell niche. Through addition of the study of direct effects of BMP7 on progenitors, the scope of the parent grant will be expanded, and through use in the competitive revision of a cell-based technique to study the progenitor niche, which was developed under the parent grant, the pace of the overall research program will be accelerated. We present preliminary data showing that BMP7 activates Jun kinase (JNK) via TGF2 activated kinase 1 (TAK1) directly in nephron progenitors rather than Smad-mediated signaling and that this signal promotes proliferation. BMP7 thus acts through JNK as a proliferation factor in nephron progenitors. Our in vivo studies demonstrate that once nephron progenitors begin to differentiate, Smad-mediated signaling commences in these cells. Interestingly, low levels of nuclear Smad transcription factors can be detected in nuclei of nephron progenitors, and it is thus most likely that a specific mechanism inhibits the Smad-mediated transcriptional response in these cells. On the basis of these findings, we hypothesize that BMP signaling functions bimodally in nephrogenesis, promoting self renewal of nephron progenitors through a JNK mediated response, and promoting nephron differentiation through a Smad mediated response. Intracellular factors inhibiting Smad mediated signaling may function as the switch between these two signaling outcomes. We propose to investigate this dynamic model for progenitor cell regulation by adding two new specific aims to the parent project: 1) Understanding the mechanism inhibiting Smad mediated transcriptional responses to BMP7 in nephron progenitors, and determining the consequences of bypassing this regulation. 2) Determining the consequences of inactivating the signaling pathway mediating BMP7-induced progenitor cell proliferation in vivo.

Public Health Relevance

Chronic kidney diseases are common and debilitating, often with limited treatment options. Advances in experimental cell based therapies have demonstrated that it is possible to grow new kidney tissue in the adult from embryonic progenitor cells.
The aim of this study is to understand pathways that regulate these kidney progenitor cells, in order to advance the development of cell based therapies for kidney disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01DK078161-02S1
Application #
7812025
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-DKUS-A (95))
Program Officer
Hoshizaki, Deborah K
Project Start
2009-09-30
Project End
2012-08-31
Budget Start
2009-09-30
Budget End
2012-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$469,935
Indirect Cost
Name
Maine Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
071732663
City
Portland
State
ME
Country
United States
Zip Code
04102
Muthukrishnan, Sree Deepthi; Ryzhov, Sergey; Karolak, Michele et al. (2018) Nephron progenitor cell death elicits a limited compensatory response associated with interstitial expansion in the neonatal kidney. Dis Model Mech 11:
Ramalingam, Harini; Fessler, Alicia R; Das, Amrita et al. (2018) Disparate levels of beta-catenin activity determine nephron progenitor cell fate. Dev Biol 440:13-21
Oxburgh, Leif; Muthukrishnan, Sree Deepthi; Brown, Aaron (2017) Growth Factor Regulation in the Nephrogenic Zone of the Developing Kidney. Results Probl Cell Differ 60:137-164
Oxburgh, Leif; Rosen, Clifford J (2017) New Insights into Fuel Choices of Nephron Progenitor Cells. J Am Soc Nephrol 28:3133-3135
Caron, Jennifer M; Ames, Jacquelyn J; Contois, Liangru et al. (2016) Inhibition of Ovarian Tumor Growth by Targeting the HU177 Cryptic Collagen Epitope. Am J Pathol 186:1649-61
Brown, Aaron C; Muthukrishnan, Sree Deepthi; Oxburgh, Leif (2015) A synthetic niche for nephron progenitor cells. Dev Cell 34:229-41
Muthukrishnan, Sree Deepthi; Yang, Xuehui; Friesel, Robert et al. (2015) Concurrent BMP7 and FGF9 signalling governs AP-1 function to promote self-renewal of nephron progenitor cells. Nat Commun 6:10027
Yang, Xuehui; Liaw, Lucy; Prudovsky, Igor et al. (2015) Fibroblast growth factor signaling in the vasculature. Curr Atheroscler Rep 17:509
Fetting, Jennifer L; Guay, Justin A; Karolak, Michele J et al. (2014) FOXD1 promotes nephron progenitor differentiation by repressing decorin in the embryonic kidney. Development 141:17-27
Oxburgh, Leif; Brown, Aaron C; Muthukrishnan, Sree Deepthi et al. (2014) Bone morphogenetic protein signaling in nephron progenitor cells. Pediatr Nephrol 29:531-6

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