# BMP-7 Modulates Inflammation induced cell death in Diabetic Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA · 2021 · $586,966

## Abstract

Project Summary
The development and progression of diabetes involves oxidative stress and inflammation that
leads to disorders in multiple organs including the cardiac and skeletal muscle. However, it
remains unknown whether inflammation induced cell death, known as pyroptosis occurs in
cardiac and skeletal muscle of diabetics. Our preliminary data shows that diabetic mice have
enhanced infiltration of monocytes, pro-inflammatory toll-like receptor 4, NLRP3 inflammasome,
activated caspase-1 and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in the heart as well as skeletal
muscle. Treatment with the recombinant bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7) decreased
hyperglycemia, inflammation and improved cardiac and muscle function. Based on these
preliminary data, we hypothesize that BMP-7 increases anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages
decreases pyroptosis, thereby improving cardiac and skeletal muscle function in diabetes. We
propose to test this hypothesis through the following aims.
1: Diabetes causes cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction through increase of inflammatory
cytokines, activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and caspase 1 regulated pyroptosis.
2: Treatment with BMP-7 differentiates monocytes into anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages
resulting in amelioration of pyroptosis and adverse cardiac and skeletal muscle remodeling in
diabetic mice.
3: Chronic treatment with BMP-7 ameliorates diabetic complications through suppression of
inflammatory pathways and pyroptosis in a translational rabbit model of diabetes.
The proposed studies will be carried out in the well-established models of Type 1 and Type 2
diabetes. We expect to elucidate the critical role of pyroptosis in causing cardiac and skeletal
muscle dysfunction and the beneficial role of BMP-7 therapy in diabetes. These studies have
the promise for critical care of diabetic patients, because BMP-7 is clinically approved for the
treatment of osteoporosis patients in Europe.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10242150
- **Project number:** 5R01DK120866-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Rakesh C Kukreja
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $586,966
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-19 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10242150

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10242150, BMP-7 Modulates Inflammation induced cell death in Diabetic Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle (5R01DK120866-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10242150. Licensed CC0.

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