The studies in this application are designed to equip the principal investigator, Dr. Daniel Vatner, with the technical and scientific expertise necessar to achieve independence as a physician-scientist, performing translational research, both patient-oriented research and basic science research, studying the pathophysiology and treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes. The work described in this application will be carried out by Dr. Vatner under the supervision of Drs. Varman Samuel and Gerald Shulman in the Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, at the Yale University School of Medicine. Through this award, Dr. Vatner will broaden his scientific and technical knowledge bases, and will generate data for publications and future independent award applications, facilitating further career advancement. During the period of this award, Dr. Vatner will be performing the research described in this application, frequently meeting with his advisors, completing coursework, and attending scientific meetings. Our long-term objective is to better understand the underlying physiology that predisposes some obese individuals to insulin resistance and protects other individuals from insulin resistance, laying the groundwork for novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Specifically, Dr. Vatner will: 1. evaluate the role of substrate-regulated lipogenesis in the development of diabetic dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis in rodents and humans; and 2. assess differences in adipose tissue function between obese subjects with and without insulin resistance, looking at differences in postprandial fat storage by adipose and liver. As lipid deposition in insulin-responsive organs such as liver is central to the development of insulin resistance, these studies have the potential to identify changes in adipose biology that protect vs. predispose an individual to type 2 diabetes. We will use stable isotope tracers in rats and humans to measure rates of hepatic fatty acid esterification. We will use PET-CT in mice and humans to assess for differences in postprandial lipid uptake in adipose and liver.

Public Health Relevance

Diabetes affects more than 25 million Americans, more than 300 million individuals worldwide, and these numbers are escalating rapidly. Lipid deposition in the liver and other insulin responsive organs is thought to be central to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes; these studies in humans and rodents seek to understand how fat intake in the setting of many Americans' hypercaloric diets leads to hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. A better understanding of this pathophysiology will lead to new therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23DK102874-03
Application #
9266754
Study Section
Kidney, Urologic and Hematologic Diseases D Subcommittee (DDK)
Program Officer
Spain, Lisa M
Project Start
2015-07-01
Project End
2020-04-30
Budget Start
2017-05-01
Budget End
2018-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Yale University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
043207562
City
New Haven
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06520
Qiu, Yang; Perry, Rachel J; Camporez, João-Paulo G et al. (2018) In vivo studies on the mechanism of methylene cyclopropyl acetic acid and methylene cyclopropyl glycine-induced hypoglycemia. Biochem J 475:1063-1074
Abulizi, Abudukadier; Camporez, João-Paulo; Zhang, Dongyan et al. (2018) Ectopic lipid deposition mediates insulin resistance in adipose specific 11?-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 transgenic mice. Metabolism :
Vatner, Daniel F; Goedeke, Leigh; Camporez, Joao-Paulo G et al. (2018) Angptl8 antisense oligonucleotide improves adipose lipid metabolism and prevents diet-induced NAFLD and hepatic insulin resistance in rodents. Diabetologia 61:1435-1446
Petersen, Max C; Vatner, Daniel F; Shulman, Gerald I (2017) Regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism in health and disease. Nat Rev Endocrinol 13:572-587
Ter Horst, Kasper W; Gilijamse, Pim W; Versteeg, Ruth I et al. (2017) Hepatic Diacylglycerol-Associated Protein Kinase C? Translocation Links Hepatic Steatosis to Hepatic Insulin Resistance in Humans. Cell Rep 19:1997-2004
Vatner, Daniel F; Snikeris, Jaclyn; Popov, Violeta et al. (2015) 3,5 Diiodo-L-Thyronine (T2) Does Not Prevent Hepatic Steatosis or Insulin Resistance in Fat-Fed Sprague Dawley Rats. PLoS One 10:e0140837