Degree
Master of Science
Program
Biology
Supervisor
Drysdale, Tom A.
2nd Supervisor
Kelly, Gregory M.
Co-Supervisor
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a substantial global health burden that has recently been linked to the genetic locus SHROOM3 by several genome-wide association studies. Shroom3 is an actin-binding protein that is necessary for inducing apical constriction in epithelial cells. Our lab has previously shown that Shroom3 is critical for proper kidney development and loss of Shroom3 produces symptoms associated with CKD. As hypertension is both a leading cause and comorbidity of CKD, I hypothesized that loss of Shroom3 confers increased susceptibility to hypertension. Using a high-salt induced model of hypertension, I show that Shroom3 deficient mice do not become hypertensive but exhibit an increased salt-sensitive blood pressure response. Additionally, I show that human SHROOM3 variants currently identified within our population have attenuated apical constriction activity. Collectively, the findings from our in vivo and in vitro work implicate the consequences of reduced Shroom3 function in the pathophysiology of human disease.
Recommended Citation
Ko, Doyun, "Functional Changes Associated with SHROOM3 Deficiency and Mutation: Implications in Renal Pathophysiology and Disease" (2018). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 5245.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/5245