Seminar Series – Min Liu, Ph.D.

Estradiol (E2) potently facilitate satiation and energy expenditure, leading to lower body weight in many species, including humans. Considerable evidence suggests that E2 exerts its catabolic action indirectly through enhancing the strength of other signals, such as apolipoprotein A-IV (apo A-IV) that potently supresses food intake and increases energy expenditure. Deletion of apo A4 gene causes a metabolic phenotype characterized by hyperphagia and obesity that is significantly more pronounced in females than in males. In this seminar, Dr. Min Liu will present his research data regarding the molecular mechanisms of how E2 stimulates apoA4 gene expression in the hypothalamus, and how this effect becomes impaired after chronic consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD). This research is important because the key components of E2-apoA-IV signaling could be manipulated pharmacologically, leading to innovative targets for the treatment of HFD-induced obesity, especially in females.