The prevalence of obesity with its associated co-morbidities is rapidly reaching epidemic proportions. Males and females maintain distinctive fat distribution patterns. Males tend to accumulate more visceral fat whereas females have more subcutaneous fat. The phenomenon of maintaining typical fat distributions suggests sex-specific mechanisms of body fat regulation. While females decrease energy expenditure to conserve energy during caloric restriction or after fat removal, males exhibit hyperphagia to restore fat. Our lab has found that syndecan-3-deficient mice resist diet-induced obesity and show improved glucose tolerance, the result of decreased caloric intake in males whereas increased energy expenditure in females. Mice with targeted disruption of the gene encoding granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor gain fat. Males show increased caloric intake while females show reduced energy expenditure. These data suggest that males and females use distinct strategies to regulate energy balance. The overall goal for this proposal is to test specific hypotheses about the mechanistic differences between males and females that result in different body-fat accumulation and different strategies by which that body fat is defended. ? ? ?
| Shi, Haifei; Sorrell, Joyce E; Clegg, Deborah J et al. (2010) The roles of leptin receptors on POMC neurons in the regulation of sex-specific energy homeostasis. Physiol Behav 100:165-72 |
| Shi, H; Clegg, D J (2009) Sex differences in the regulation of body weight. Physiol Behav 97:199-204 |
| Shi, Haifei; Akunuru, Shailaja; Bierman, John C et al. (2009) Diet-induced obese mice are leptin insufficient after weight reduction. Obesity (Silver Spring) 17:1702-9 |
| Shi, Haifei; Seeley, Randy J; Clegg, Deborah J (2009) Sexual differences in the control of energy homeostasis. Front Neuroendocrinol 30:396-404 |
| Shi, Haifei; Strader, April D; Sorrell, Joyce E et al. (2008) Sexually different actions of leptin in proopiomelanocortin neurons to regulate glucose homeostasis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 294:E630-9 |
| Shi, Haifei; Strader, April D; Woods, Stephen C et al. (2007) The effect of fat removal on glucose tolerance is depot specific in male and female mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 293:E1012-20 |
| Shi, Haifei; Strader, April D; Woods, Stephen C et al. (2007) Sexually dimorphic responses to fat loss after caloric restriction or surgical lipectomy. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 293:E316-26 |
