Polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) results from failure of the kidney to properly maintain three-dimensional structure after loss of either polycystin-1 or -2. Mice with kidney selective inactivation of Pkd1 during embryogenesis develop profound renal cystic disease and die from renal failure within 3 weeks of birth. In this model, cysts form exclusively from cells in which Cre recombinase is active, but the apparent pace of cyst expansion varies by segment and cell type. Intercalated cells do not participate in cyst expansion despite the presence of cilia up to at least postnatal day 21. Cystic segments show a persistent increase in proliferation as determined by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation; however, the absolute proliferative index is dependent on the underlying proliferative potential of kidney tubule cells. Components of the extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway from Ras through MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 to the effector P90(RSK) are activated in both perinatal Pkd1 and adult Pkd2 ortholgous gene disease models. The pattern of MAPK/ERK activation is focal and does not correlate with the pattern of active proliferation identified by BrdU uptake. The possibility of a causal relationship between ERK1/2 activation and cyst cell proliferation was assessed in vivo in the acute perinatal Pkd1 model of ADPKD using MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126. U0126 treatment had no effect on progression of cyst formation in this model at doses sufficient to reduce phospho-ERK1/2 in cystic kidneys. Cysts in ADPKD exhibit both increased proliferation and activation of MAPK/ERK, but cyst growth is not prevented by inhibition of ERK1/2 activation.

A key function of the proximal tubule is retrieval of most of the vast quantities of NaCl and water filtered by the kidney. Physiological studies using brush border vesicles and perfused tubules have indicated that a major fraction of Cl ؊ reabsorption across the apical membrane of proximal tubule cells occurs via Cl ؊ -formate exchange. The molecular identity of the transporter responsible for renal brush border Cl ؊ -formate exchange has yet to be elucidated. As a strategy to identify one or more anion exchangers responsible for mediating Cl ؊ reabsorption in the proximal tubule, we screened the expressed sequence tag database for homologs of pendrin, a transporter previously shown to mediate Cl ؊ -formate exchange. We now report the cDNA cloning of CFEX, a mouse pendrin homolog with expression in the kidney by Northern analysis. Sequence analysis indicated that CFEX very likely represents the mouse ortholog of human SLC26A6. Immunolocalization studies detected expression of CFEX, but not pendrin, on the brush border membrane of proximal tubule cells. Functional expression studies in Xenopus oocytes demonstrated that CFEX mediates Cl ؊ -formate exchange. Taken together, these observations identify CFEX as a prime candidate to mediate Cl ؊ -formate exchange in the proximal tubule and thereby to contribute importantly to renal NaCl reabsorption. Given its wide tissue distribution, CFEX also may contribute to transcellular Cl ؊ transport in additional epithelia such as the pancreas and contribute to transmembrane Cl ؊ transport in nonepithelial tissues such as the heart.

Uranium nitride [U[triple bond]N](x) is an alternative nuclear fuel that has great potential in the expanding future of nuclear power; however, very little is known about the U[triple bond]N functionality. We show, for the first time, that a terminal uranium nitride complex can be generated by photolysis of an azide (U-N=N=N) precursor. The transient U[triple bond]N fragment is reactive and undergoes insertion into a ligand C-H bond to generate new N-H and N-C bonds. The mechanism of this unprecedented reaction has been evaluated through computational and spectroscopic studies, which reveal that the photochemical azide activation pathway can be shut down through coordination of the terminal azide ligand to the Lewis acid B(C(6)F(5))(3). These studies demonstrate that photochemistry can be a powerful tool for inducing redox transformations for organometallic actinide complexes, and that the terminal uranium nitride fragment is reactive, cleaving strong C-H bonds.

The uranium(III) and uranium(IV) iodide complexes UI3(1,4-dioxane)1.5 and UI4(1,4-dioxane)2 have been easily prepared in high yield by reacting uranium turnings with a 1,4-dioxane solution of iodine under mild conditions. The two complexes exhibit outstanding thermal stability and are excellent precursors to a variety of uranium(III), uranium(IV), and uranium(VI) alkoxide, amide, organometallic, and halide compounds, including a safe, room-temperature synthesis of [UCl4(1,4-dioxane)]2, which is a useful synthetic alternative to UCl4.

The first, isolable group 4 imido complexes capable of promoting intramolecular olefin hydroamination for the preparation of N-containing heterocycles are presented. The structurally characterized 6-coordinate bis(amidate)-supported zirconium imido complex is a rare example of distorted-pentagonal-pyramidal geometry.