Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Min Liu, Ph.D
Dr. Liu's laboratory is currently studying the role of hypothalamic apolipoprotein AIV (apo AIV) in the development of obesity and how it can be modulated for preventive and therapeutic purposes. Apo AIV is a circulating signal released from intestinal cells in response to lipid feeding, and it contributes to the anorectic effect of a lipid meal. We have demonstrated that apo AIV is also synthesized in the hypothalamus, and that hypothalamic apo AIV gene and protein expression is regulated physiologically. Current work focuses on: 1) To determine hypothalamic apo AIV gene expression and protein levels and the responsivity of hypothalamic apo AIV to dietary lipids in several strains of obese and lean animals. We will also determine the response to chronic high-fat feeding in apo AIV knockout mice. 2) To characterize the transport of apo AIV from blood into the central nervous system and to assess the areas in the brain that are activated by apo AIV administered either centrally or intravenously. 3) To determine the interaction of apo AIV with other regulatory peptides within the hypothalamus. These work is innovative because it addresses important unanswered questions. The new knowledge may lead to novel targets for preventive and therapeutic interventions that will be particularly important to the growing numbers of obese persons in this country
Grants
Title: Brain Apolipoprotein AIV, Food Intake and Obesity
Type: R01 (DK/NS63907-01) Agency: NIH/NIDDK
Entire project period: 02/01/2003-01/31-2008
Recent Publications
Shen, L., Ma, L.Y., Jandacek R. and Sakai, R. Liu, M. Diurnal changes in intestinal apolipoprotein A-IV and its relation to food intake and corticosterone in rats. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver physiology . 288:G48-53; 2005
- Pearson, K., Liu, M., Shen L., Woods, S.C., Tso P., Davidson, W. S. Bacterial expression and characterization of rat and mouse apolipoprotein E. Protein Expression and Purification. 41:447-53, 2005
- Liu, M ., Shen, L., Liu, Y., Sakaia, R., Fujimoto, D., Ma, L.Y., Woods, S.C. Tso, P. Diurnal rhythm of apolipoprotein A-IV in rat hypothalamus and its relation to corticosterone and food intake. Endocrinology . 145:3232-8; 2004.
- Liu, M ., Shen, L., Liu, Y., Woods, S.C., Seeley, R.J., D’Alessio, D., Tso, P. Obesity induced by a high-fat diet down-regulates apolipoprotein A-IV gene expression in rat hypothalamus. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology Metabolism . 287:E366-70. 2004.
- Liu, M ., Doi, T., Tso, P. Regulation of intestinal and hypothalamic apolipoprotein A-IV. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 228:1181-9; 2003.
- Liu, M., Shen, L., Woods, S.C, Seeley, R.J. Tso, P. Centrally administered neuropeptide Y increased apolipoprotein A-IV mRNA in rat hypothalamus. Brain Research. 971:232-8, 2003.
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