Publications by authors named "Robert J Wiener"
Intervertebral disc (IVD) defects heal poorly and can cause back pain and disability. We identified that IVD herniation injury heals regeneratively in neonatal mice until postnatal day 14 (p14) and shifts to fibrotic healing by p28. This age coincides with the shift in expansive IVD growth from cell proliferation to matrix elaboration, implicating collagen crosslinking.
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- Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a rare condition mostly affecting women, characterized by various arterial problems that can lead to serious health issues like hypertension and stroke.* -
- This study used genetic data from FMD patients and healthy controls to identify 18 gene regulatory networks, with four forming an FMD-related supernetwork affecting arterial health.* -
- By disrupting this supernetwork in mice, researchers observed symptoms of FMD, revealing insights into the disease's mechanisms and potential new treatment options.*
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- Glioblastoma (GBM) is a fast-growing brain tumor that spreads quickly.
- Researchers found that GBM cells use a special receptor called Plexin-B2 to move around and squeeze through tight spaces.
- This process involves cell parts working together to create pressure that helps the tumor cells migrate effectively through narrow pathways.
During morphogenesis, molecular mechanisms that orchestrate biomechanical dynamics across cells remain unclear. Here, we show a role of guidance receptor Plexin-B2 in organizing actomyosin network and adhesion complexes during multicellular development of human embryonic stem cells and neuroprogenitor cells. Plexin-B2 manipulations affect actomyosin contractility, leading to changes in cell stiffness and cytoskeletal tension, as well as cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion.
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- The study reveals that interactions between glomerular cells can lead to defects in kidney filtration barriers, particularly in conditions like podocytopathy and Adriamycin nephropathy.
- Researchers found that degradation of the endothelial surface layer and albumin leakage occurred before damage to podocyte structures, which can be prevented by specific drug treatments targeting endothelin receptor-A and reactive oxygen species.
- The findings suggest that activated podocytes release factors that provoke damage in glomerular endothelial cells, implicating the endothelin-1 pathway in the progression of certain kidney diseases.
Nephrotoxicity is a critical adverse event that leads to discontinuation of kinase inhibitor (KI) treatment. Here we show, through meta-analyses of FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, that dasatinib is associated with high risk for glomerular toxicity that is uncoupled from hypertension, suggesting a direct link between dasatinib and podocytes. We further investigate the cellular effects of dasatinib and other comparable KIs with varying risks of nephrotoxicity.
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