Osteopontin, Obesity, And Insulin Resistance
Obesity is one ofthe biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes, One macrophages in the adipose tissue leading the authors to conclude
reason for this is thought to be the chronic inflammation charac- that osteopontin has a key role in linking obesity to the develop-
terized by macrophage inHltration into adipose tissue that accom- ment of insulin resistance in mice, Osteopontin is an extracellular
panies obesity, because it has been linked to the development of matrix protein and proinflammatory cytokine that is required for
insulin resistance (which in turn often leads to type 2 diabetes), macrophage inhltration of a tissue during an immune response,
New data generated in mice by Dr, Dennis Bruemmer, an assistant Bruemmer is senior and corresponding author of an article pub-
professor in the UK College of Medicine Division of Endocrinol- lished about this research in Yhejaurmzl qfCZiz2ic4zZI21iz1estzLg’4zti02¢
ogy and Molecular Medicine, and his colleagues provides support entitled “Osteopontin mediates obesity-induced adipose tissue
for this hypothesis, macrophage inhltration and insulin resistance in mice,”
They found that although mice lacking osteopontin became
obese when fed a high-fat diet, they did not become as insulin re- _ _
sistant as normal mice fed the same diet, This decrease in insulin Wg l]X[r3 Read the full émcle °n °$t€°p°mm at
resistance was associated with decreased accumulation of T, WWW'ukalumnI'n€t’ keywcrdz Bruemmer
Barrett’s Esophagus $3 Million NSF Grant
High In Three Counties For Multidisciplinary Research
Preliminary data from a study in southeastern Kentucky found UK received a $3 million grant from the National Science
Barrett’s esophagus — a precursor to esophageal cancer — in 25 Foundation to support doctoral students developing devices that
percent of study subjects, Qriestionnaires, medical records, endo- interact with biological systems, The students’ research areas will
scopies, patient interviews and biologic samples are being used to range from nanotechnology to tissue engineering, to sensing sys-
gather data, tems, and to drug delivery, The program also will provide special-
Severe or chronic heartburn is called Gastroesophageal Reflux ized courses and workshops for the students and encourage
Disease (GERD), Over time, untreated GERD damages the lining participation in internships, outreach activities and supervised
ofthe esophagus, As a result, one in 10 people with GERD de- training in instruction,
velop Barrett’s esophagus, a potentially dangerous change in the Kimberly Anderson, Gill Eminent Professor of Chemical Engi-
lining of the esophagus, Those with Barrett’s esophagus may be up neering and principal investigator on the grant along with Bruce
to 30 times more likely than the average person to develop Hinds, associate professor of materials engineering and co-princi-
esophageal cancer, pal investigator, will oversee the university’s second Integrative
"The Hnding that this cancer precursor is up to Hve times more Graduation Education Research Training program,
common in these counties compared to the national average is The students will come from departments of Chemical and Ma-
clearly an important step in unraveling the mystery? said Dr, terials Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering in
Nicholas Nickl ofthe UK College of Medicine Division of Diges- the College of Engineering, the Department of Chemistry in the
tive Diseases and Nutrition, College of Arts and Sciences, the departments of Anatomy and
The study, led by Nickl and Dr, Houssam Mardini ofthe same Neurobiology and Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry in the
department, is part ofthe Marty Driesler Fifth District College of Medicine, the Center for Biomedical Engineering, and
Esophageal Cancer Project, The study focuses on counties in Ken- the College of Pharmacy,
tucky with the highest risk for esophageal cancer: Pulaski, Laurel
and Whitley,
Survival rates for the nation’s fastest growing cancer are stagger-
ing; Only 16 percent survive Hve years after diagnosis, The Ameri-
can Cancer Society (wwwcancer,org/docroot/home/index,asp)
ezginates that nearly 14,000 will die from esophageal cancer this com piled from news reports
Y about research at UK.
For more information about
research taking place at UK,
visit www.research.uky.edu
)) 8 winter 2007