In diabetic nephropathy, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is upregulated and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) is downregulated. CTGF is known to inhibit BMP-4, but similar cross-talk between BMP-7 and CTGF has not been studied. In this study, it was hypothesized that CTGF acts as an inhibitor of BMP-7 signaling activity in diabetic nephropathy. Compared with diabetic wild-type CTGF ϩ/ϩ mice, diabetic CTGF ϩ/Ϫ mice had approximately 50% lower CTGF mRNA and protein, less severe albuminuria, no thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, and preserved matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Although the amount of BMP-7 mRNA was similar in the kidneys of diabetic CTGF ϩ/ϩ and CTGF ϩ/Ϫ mice, phosphorylation of the BMP signal transduction protein Smad1/5 and expression of the BMP target gene Id1 were lower in diabetic CTGF ϩ/ϩ mice.Moreover, renal Id1 mRNA expression correlated with albuminuria (R ϭ Ϫ0.86) and MMP activity (R ϭ 0.76). In normoglycemic mice, intraperitoneal injection of CTGF led to a decrease of pSmad1/5 in the renal cortex. In cultured renal glomerular and tubulointerstitial cells, CTGF diminished BMP-7 signaling activity, evidenced by lower levels of pSmad1/5, Id1 mRNA, and BMP-responsive elementluciferase activity. Co-immunoprecipitation, solid-phase binding assay, and surface plasmon resonance analysis showed that CTGF binds BMP-7 with high affinity (Kd approximately 14 nM). In conclusion, upregulation of CTGF inhibits BMP-7 signal transduction in the diabetic kidney and contributes to altered gene transcription, reduced MMP activity, glomerular basement membrane thickening, and albuminuria, all of which are hallmarks of diabetic nephropathy.

A biocompatible fibrous sensor material with pH-responsive color changing property was designed for real-time monitoring of wound pH.

High‐performance adhesives are of great interest in view of industrial demand. We herein identify a straightforward synthetic strategy towards universal hydrogen‐bonded (H‐bonded) polymeric adhesives, using a side‐chain barbiturate (Ba) and Hamilton wedge (HW) functionalized copolymer. Starting from a rubbery copolymer containing thiolactone derivatives, Ba and HW moieties are tethered as pendant groups via an efficient one‐pot two‐step amine‐thiol‐bromo conjugation. Hetero‐complementary Ba/HW interactions thus yield H‐bonded supramolecular polymeric networks. In addition to an enhanced polymeric network integrity induced by specific Ba/HW association, the presence of individual Ba or HW moieties enables strong binding to a range of substrates, outstanding compared to commercial glues and reported adhesives.

No abstract