Molecular and Cellular Biology of Thrombopoietin

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Thrombopoietin (TPO) is the primary regulator of thrombopoiesis. Through its interaction with the c-Mpl receptor, TPO initiates a signaling cascade by triggering the phosphorylation and activation of Jak2. Although this is well established, it remains unclear as to how TPO signaling is modulated, which has important consequences for the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Dysregulation of TPO signaling, as exemplified by mutations conferring constitutive activity to Jak2 or c-Mpl, is known to underlie the development of congenital and acquired myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF). In addition, TPO-mimetics are emerging as important tools for the treatment of patients with thrombocytopenia of both benign and neoplastic etiologies. In this competitive renewal we propose to study the regulation of TPO signaling, including: 1) c-Mpl receptor trafficking and internalization in response to TPO, 2) negative regulation of TPO signaling, including the potential effects of receptor ubiquitination, Src family kinases and phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) for megakaryopoiesis, and 3) functional similarities and differences between TPO and erythropoietin (EPO) signaling.