Nephrology, Hypertension & Renal Transplantation
Faculty
Charles S. Wingo, M.D.
Dr. Wingo received his M.D. degree in 1975 from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. After completion of his internal medicine training at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, he pursued his fellowship training in nephrology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School under the direction of Drs. Juha P. Kokko, Donald W. Seldin and Harry R. Jacobson from 1978 through 1981. Dr. Wingo joined the faculty at the University of Florida in 1981. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his research in renal physiology, and potassium and acid-base transport. He received a Veterans Affairs Career Development Award in 1985 and is a past-president of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.
Research Interest
Dr. Wingo's nephrology interest includes disorders of fluid and electrolyte balance, acid-base balance and hypertension. Our studies on the mechanism of action of aldosterone have led to a more complete understanding of the importance of this hormone in various clinical disease states. Additional interests include the role of blood pressure control and of protein and phosphorous restriction on the progression of renal disease to end-stage.
During the past 15 years, the primary focus of his laboratory has been the study of solute transport within the distal nephron and collecting duct. The majority of this research has utilized the in vitro microperfusion technique, membrane vesicles and immunoblotting, and metabolic balance techniques. Additional studies have examined the proteins responsible for this transport. Several of his key observations are outlined below.
Both metabolic and respiratory acidosis inhibit chloride transport in the thick ascending limb of Henle. These studies provide a partial explanation for the natriuresis, chloruresis and diuresis associated with systemic acidosis.
In the cortical collecting duct potassium secretion occurs in part by a mechanism of secondary active potassium chloride secretion. The importance of these observations can be related to certain pathologic states in which there is inappropriate potassium wasting by the kidney, for example, as in chloride depletion metabolic alkalosis.
The cortical and outer medullary collecting duct possess a mechanism of active potassium absorption coupled to proton secretion. This occurs in part by the H+-K+-ATPase that is transcriptionally competent in the stomach and in the kidney. These observations represent a newly discovered mechanism of potassium absorption and proton secretion by the collecting duct, and they may explain certain forms of hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis.
The physiological studies include the characterization of the signal transduction pathway involved in stimulation of H+-K+-ATPase in response to changes in ambient pCO2
Currently, his laboratory investigations include the molecular characterization of the renal H+-K+-ATPase gene products in the kidney, colon and stomach and their transcriptional regulation, studies that are being performed in collaboration with Dr. Brian D. Cain in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. Additonal studies are examining the effect of hypokalemia and aldosterone on mRNA expression in the renal medulla and vascular smooth muscle.
Other studies are examining the ion channels present at the apical membrane of the outer medullary collecting duct with Dr. Shin-Ling Xia.