Robert L. Chevalier

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Primary Appointment

Professor, Pediatrics- Nephrology

Research Interests

Obstructive nephropathy, developmental nephrology

Research Description


Congenital urinary tract obstruction accounts for most cases of renal insufficiency in the infant. Using cell culture techniques and experimental animal models of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) , we have demonstrated that compared to the adult , the neonatal kidney is more susceptible to the injurious effects of ureteral obstruction. We have developed models of chronic partial UUO in the neonatal rat and mouse , and found that obstruction leads to cellular apoptosis and necrosis at the glomerulotubular junction and formation of atubular glomeruli. We are currently studying methods of reducing tubular injury to avert formation of atubular glomeruli and progression of renal insufficiency. We are also investigating new biomarkers of renal injury in our animal models , in order to track progression and response to therapeutic interventions. Our goal is to develop strategies to improve growth and development of the kidney subjected to UUO in the fetal or neonatal period.

Personal Statement

Congenital urinary tract obstruction accounts for most cases of renal insufficiency in the infant. Using cell culture techniques and experimental animal models of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) , we have demonstrated that compared to the adult , the neonatal kidney is more susceptible to the injurious effects of ureteral obstruction. We have developed models of chronic partial UUO in the neonatal rat and mouse , and found that obstruction leads to cellular apoptosis and necrosis at the glomerulotubular junction and formation of atubular glomeruli. We are currently studying methods of reducing tubular injury to avert formation of atubular glomeruli and progression of renal insufficiency. We are also investigating new biomarkers of renal injury in our animal models , in order to track progression and response to therapeutic interventions. Our goal is to develop strategies to improve growth and development of the kidney subjected to UUO in the fetal or neonatal period.

Selected Publications

2018

Chevalier, R. L. (2018). Evolution and Kidney Development: A Rosetta Stone for Nephrology. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY, 29(3), 706-709. doi:10.1681/ASN.2018010013

Charlton, J. R., & Chevalier, R. L. (2018). Developmental Origins of CKD: Big Problems From Small Packages. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES, 71(1), 3-5. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2017.08.022

2017

Chevalier, R. L. (2017). Evolutionary Nephrology. KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL REPORTS, 2(3), 302-317. doi:10.1016/j.ekir.2017.01.012

Papadopoulos, T., Casemayou, A., Neau, E., Breuil, B., Caubet, C., Calise, D., . . . Klein, J. (2017). Systems biology combining human- and animal-data miRNA and mRNA data identifies new targets in ureteropelvic junction obstruction. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY, 11. doi:10.1186/s12918-017-0411-7

2016

Chevalier, R. L. (2016). The proximal tubule is the primary target of injury and progression of kidney disease: role of the glomerulotubular junction. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 311(1), F145-F161. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00164.2016

Chevalier, R. L. (2016). Prognostic factors and biomarkers of congenital obstructive nephropathy. PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, 31(9), 1411-1420. doi:10.1007/s00467-015-3291-3

2015

Forbes, M. S., Thornhill, B. A., Galarreta, C. I., & Chevalier, R. L. (2016). A population of mitochondrion-rich cells in the pars recta of mouse kidney. CELL AND TISSUE RESEARCH, 363(3), 791-803. doi:10.1007/s00441-015-2273-x

Sergio, M., Galarreta, C. I., Thornhill, B. A., Forbes, M. S., & Chevalier, R. L. (2015). The Fate of Nephrons in Congenital Obstructive Nephropathy: Adult Recovery is Limited by Nephron Number Despite Early Release of Obstruction. JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, 194(5), 1463-1472. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2015.04.078

2014

Chesney, R. W., & Chevalier, R. (2014). Thirty-three years of progress: the International Workshops on Developmental Nephrology and the role of IPNA. PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, 29(4), 499-504. doi:10.1007/s00467-013-2750-y

Chevalier, R. L. (2014). The Life Cycle of the Kidney: Implications for CKD. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY, 25(11), 2388-2390. doi:10.1681/ASN.2014040380

Galarreta, C. I., Grantham, J. J., Forbes, M. S., Maser, R. L., Wallace, D. P., & Chevalier, R. L. (2014). Tubular Obstruction Leads to Progressive Proximal Tubular Injury and Atubular Glomeruli in Polycystic Kidney Disease. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, 184(7), 1957-1966. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.03.007

Chevalier, R. L. (2014). The Proximal Tubule in Cystinosis: Fight or Flight?. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY, 25(6), 1131-1132. doi:10.1681/ASN.2014010058

2013

Chevalier, R. L., Forbes, M. S., Galarreta, C. I., & Thornhill, B. A. (2014). Responses of proximal tubular cells to injury in congenital renal disease: fight or flight. PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, 29(4), 537-541. doi:10.1007/s00467-013-2590-9

Galarreta, C. I., Thornhill, B. A., Forbes, M. S., Simpkins, L. N., Kim, D. -K., & Chevalier, R. L. (2013). Transforming growth factor-β1 receptor inhibition preserves glomerulotubular integrity during ureteral obstruction in adults but worsens injury in neonatal mice. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 304(5), F481-F490. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00496.2012

Forbes, M. S., Thornhill, B. A., Galarreta, C. I., Minor, J. J., Gordon, K. A., & Chevalier, R. L. (2013). Chronic unilateral ureteral obstruction in the neonatal mouse delays maturation of both kidneys and leads to late formation of atubular glomeruli. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 305(12), F1736-F1746. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00152.2013

Chaabane, W., Praddaude, F., Buleon, M., Jaafar, A., Vallet, M., Rischmann, P., . . . Tack, I. (2013). Renal functional decline and glomerulotubular injury are arrested but not restored by release of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 304(4), F432-F439. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00425.2012

2012

Friedman, A., Ehrich, J., Chevalier, R., & Jones, S. (2012). A history of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA). PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, 27(5), 695. doi:10.1007/s00467-012-2134-8

Forbes, M. S., Thornhill, B. A., Minor, J. J., Gordon, K. A., Galarreta, C. I., & Chevalier, R. L. (2012). Fight-or-flight: murine unilateral ureteral obstruction causes extensive proximal tubular degeneration, collecting duct dilatation, and minimal fibrosis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 303(1), F120-F129. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00110.2012

Thornhill, B. A., & Chevalier, R. L. (2012). Variable partial unilateral ureteral obstruction and its release in the neonatal and adult mouse.. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 886, 381-392. doi:10.1007/978-1-61779-851-1_33

Chevalier, R. L. (2012). Mechanisms of Fetal and Neonatal Renal Impairment by Pharmacologic Inhibition of Angiotensin. CURRENT MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY, 19(27), 4572-4580.

Charlton, J. R., Norwood, V. F., Kiley, S. C., Gurka, M. J., & Chevalier, R. L. (2012). Evolution of the urinary proteome during human renal development and maturation: variations with gestational and postnatal age. PEDIATRIC RESEARCH, 72(2), 179-185. doi:10.1038/pr.2012.63

2011

Chevalier, R. L., Forbes, M. S., & Thornhill, B. A. (2011). Formation of atubular glomeruli in the developing kidney following chronic urinary tract obstruction. PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY, 26(9), 1381-1385. doi:10.1007/s00467-010-1748-y

Forbes, M. S., Thornhill, B. A., & Chevalier, R. L. (2011). Proximal tubular injury and rapid formation of atubular glomeruli in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction: a new look at an old model. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 301(1), F110-F117. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00022.2011

2010

Chevalier, R. L. (2010). Response to 'The case of the solitary sick kidney'. KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL, 77(3), 258-259. doi:10.1038/ki.2009.453

Yoo, K. H., Thornhill, B. A., Forbes, M. S., & Chevalier, R. L. (2010). Inducible nitric oxide synthase modulates hydronephrosis following partial or complete unilateral ureteral obstruction in the neonatal mouse. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY, 298(1), F62-F71. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00234.2009