Research Interests
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Roles of hormones and energy sensors in the regulation of food intake and energy homeostasis
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Metabolic communication between brain and body for energy balance
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Target screening for potential drugs for appetite control
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Analysis of metabolic pathway network using metabolomics for development of diagnostic markers and treatment
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대사 질환 (Metabolic disease) 및 퇴행성 뇌질환(Neurodegenerative disease)의 예방 및 치료를 위하여 호르몬, 영양 신호에 의한 신경세포의 대사와 에너지 항상성 조절 기전 연구
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뇌 시상하부에서 식욕 및 에너지 항상성 조절에 관련한 신경펩티드 (Neuropeptide)의 역할규명과 조절 기전 연구
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뇌 시상하부 신경세포의 신경펩티드 발현 조절을 위한 새로운 인자 및 약물 발굴
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대사체학연구를 통한 질병의 진단, 예방, 치료 등의 바이오 마커 발굴
Research Keywords
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Roles of Autophagy
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Hypothalamic autophagy plays a critical role in the regulation of feeding behavior and
body metabolism. We investigate novel targets that regulate feeding behavior by controlling autophagy-mediated changes in neuropeptide expression in the hypothalamus.
related articles
Finding novel targets
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Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. Although overeating does not explain
all cases of obesity, evidence has suggested that dysregulation of appetite is
one of the biggest contributors to obesity. -
We discovered an intriguing role of hypothalamic AMPK-autophagy axis involved in feeding control, by specific regulation of feeding-regulatory neuropeptide expression.
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Understanding of the role of hypothalamic AMPK-induced autophagy in appetite control might provide a new strategy for design and lead to cures of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
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Tanycytes, a subtype of glial cells lining the ependymal surface of the 3rd ventricle,
have been suggested to play significant roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis. -
TSPO (translocator protein) is an outer-mitochondrial membrane protein, previously known as peripheral benzodiazepine receptor for its high affinity for benzodiazepines outside of the central nervous system. Many functions have been proposed for TSPO, which include transport of cholesterol into the mitochondria for steroidogenesis, regulation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, apoptosis, and inflammation. Despite these findings linking TSPO to energy and lipid metabolism, the mechanisms underlying TSPO function are largely unknown.
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We investigate that TSPO in tanycytes plays an important role in lipid metabolism by regulating lipophagy in an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent manner. Furthermore, tanycyte-specific ablation of Tspo prevents obesity by inducing hypophagia
and elevating energy expenditure on a high-fat diet (HFD), suggesting that tanycytic TSPO may have a novel role as a regulator of lipid and energy metabolism.
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The family of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) consists of 22 members, which are classified into intracellular FGFs. Some FGFs have a critical role in the regulation of energy balance including glucose, lipid metabolism, and food intake, suggesting FGFs as therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity. However, the function of FGF11, especially its central role in the regulation of whole-body metabolism, remains unknown.
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We discovered the effect of central Fgf11 knockdown on multiple parameters involved in whole-body metabolism. The present study contributes to our understanding of the metabolic role of FGF11 in the ARC, highlighting FGF11 as a potential target for the treatment of obesity.
related articles
Roles of neurohormones
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Insulin secreted from pancreatic β cells can cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore dominates the overall insulin content in the brain. Surprisingly, however, insulin expression
has been also discovered in various brain regions such as the choroid plexus, olfactory bulb, cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. -
We identify potentially novel parvocellular neurosecretory neurons as the PVN insulin-expressing neurons. We discovered a physiological role of PVN insulin in regulating pituitary GH gene expression and secretion, leading to a change in body length of young mice under both normal and stress conditions. Our study will help better understanding of the regulatory roles of brain-derived insulin in hormone production, growth, and other bodily functions.
related articles
Neurometabolomics
Metabolomics work flow
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Metabolomics is one of the 10 Emerging Technologies selected by Technology Review Magazine (May 2005). Metabolomics is an analytical approach that aims to detect and quantify small metabolites. Recently, there has been an increased interest in the application of metabolomics to the identification of disease biomarkers, with a number of well-known biomarkers identified. Metabolomics is a potent approach to unravel the intricate relationships between metabolism, obesity and progression to diabetes and, at the same time, has potential as a clinical tool for risk evaluation and monitoring of disease.
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We focuses on the part that metabolomics has played in elucidating the roles of metabolites in the regulation of systemic metabolism relevant to metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases.
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In addition, we offer insights into the clinical efficacy of therapeutic pharmacology and the understanding of the systems-level effects on metabolic profile associated with metabolic diseases.
Identification of biomarkers
Quantification of metabolites
Drug efficacy
related articles
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