HEPATIC MITOCHONDRIAL METABOLISM DURING INSULIN RESISTANCE

Ut Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. When carbohydrate intake exceeds short-term requirements for energy, it is stored as fat. The liver is the principle organ responsible for the conversion of excess carbohydrate to fat. Ingesting a high carbohydrate diet induces gene transcription of over a dozen enzymes in liver that are involved in glycolysis and fat synthesis. Insulin, secreted by the pancreas in response to carbohydrate promotes lipogenesis by activating lipogenic enzyme expression. However, carbohydrates also stimulate transcription of the same genes independent of insulin. The mechanism by which metabolizable carbohydrate generates a signal to induce the transcription of lipogenic enzyme genes became clearer with discovery of the transcription factor termed carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP). The purpose of this collaboration is (a) to determine the biochemical mechanism for the reduced REDOX state of liver of ChREBP-/-, and (b) to determine the source of pyruvate in the liver of ChREBP-/- mice fed high starch diet.