Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a renal complication affecting many diabetic patients and is one of the preeminent causes of renal insufficiency leading to dialysis or renal transplant. Our project is based on podocytes, important cells for blood filtration in the kidneys. Their loss of function and death is an early event in the development of diabetic nephropathy. Ultimately, structural changes will get worse and lead to complete renal decline (ESRD). DUSP4, a molecule that regulates proteins involved in cell death, is important for renal function. We have observed a decrease in DUSP4 levels in diabetic kidneys. Previous results have emphasized the importance of DUSP4 in the kidney since whole-body removal of DUSP4 worsens characteristics of diabetic nephropathy. To this day, the kidneys of diabetic patients suffering from ESRD are said to have reached the point of no return. Thus, it is critical to find treatments that could stop/slow down the progression of kidney problems. With the use of mice that have elevated levels of DUSP4 specifically in podocytes, our objective is to determine the clinical significance of DUSP4 in the prevention of diabetic nephropathy. Our hypothesis is that increased levels of DUSP4 in podocytes will prevent the onset of kidney problems in diabetic mice and will also re-establish renal function once the disease has already started. Secondly, with the use of a mouse model of ESRD (adenine-rich food), our 2nd objective is to investigate the role of DUSP4 in the progression towards complete renal insufficiency, an area that lacks research. We hypothesize that DUSP4 deletion will accelerate the progression and onset of complete renal insufficiency. My projects will help us better understand the mechanisms leading to DN and ESRD as well as the importance of DUSP4 in the kidney while ultimately contributing to support patients affected by these conditions to potentially give them a better quality of life.