Scientists

Wenhong Cao

Wenhong Cao

Education

M.D., Hunan Medical University, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 1983.
Residency, internal medicine, Hunan Medical University, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 1984-1987.
M.S., hematology, Hunan Medical University, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 1990.
Certification, Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), 1997.

Research

My laboratory is interested in the control of hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. Disorders of hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism contribute signigicantly to the development of hepatic insulin resistance, fatty liver, and diabetes. We have previously observed that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) plays a stimulatory role in hepatic gluconeogenesis while inhibiting hepatic lipogenesis. Our studies have also shown that p38 mediates fatty acid-induced hepatic insulin resistance and gluconeogenesis. We are currently investigating the mechanisms by which p38 stimulates hepatic gluconeogenesis and inhibits hepatic lipogenesis. We are also studying the mechanism of fatty acid induction of hepatic insulin resistance.

Selected Publications

Liu, H.Y., Zhuo D., Collins, Q.F., Xiong, Y., Lupo, E.G., and W. Cao. Suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis by Human neutrophil peptides through a novel signaling pathway distinct from insulin. J. Biol. Chem., (2008), 283: 12056-63.

Collins, Q.F., Liu H.Y., Xiong Y., Quon, M., and W. Cao. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis through AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK). J. Biol. Chem., (2007), 282:30143-49.

Liu, H. Y., Collins, Q. F., Xiong, Y., Moukdar, F., Lupo, E. G., Liu, Z., and Cao, W. (2007). Prolonged treatment of primary hepatocytes with oleate induces insulin resistance through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 14205-14212.

Xiong, Y., Collins, Q. F., An, J., Lupo, E., Liu, H. Y., Liu, D., Robidoux, J., Liu, Z., and Cao. W. (2007). p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase plays an inhibitory role in hepatic lipogenesis. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 4975-4982.

Collins, Q. F., Xiong, Y., Lupo, E. G., Liu, H. Y., and Cao, W. (2006). p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase mediates free fatty acid-induced gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes. J. Biol. Chem. 281, 24336-24344.

Bai, Y., Onuma, H., Bai, X., Medvedev, A. V., Misukonis, M., Weinberg, J. B., Cao, W. H., Robidoux, J., Floering, L. M., Daniel, K. W., and Collins, S. (2005). Persistent nuclear factor-kappa B activation in Ucp2-/- mice leads to enhanced nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokine production. J. Biol. Chem. 280, 19062-19069.

Cao, W. H., Collins, Q. F., Becker, T. C., Robidoux, J., Lupo, E. G., Jr., Xiong, Y., Daniel, K. W., Floering, L. M., and Collins, S. (2005). p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase plays a stimulatory role in hepatic gluconeogenesis. J. Biol. Chem. 280, 42731-42737.

Robidoux, J., Cao, W. H., Quan, H., Daniel, K. W., Moukdar, F., Bai, X., Floering, L. M., and Collins, S. (2005). Selective activation of MAP kinase-3 and p38alpha MAP kinase is essential for cAMP-dependent UCP1 expression in adipocytes. Mol. Cell. Biol. 25, 5466-5479.

Cao, W., Daniel, K. W., Robidoux, J., Puigserver, P., Medvedev, A. V., Bai, X., Floering, L. M., Spiegelman, B. M., and Collins, S. (2004). p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase is the central regulator of cyclic AMP-dependent transcription of the brown fat uncoupling protein 1 gene. Mol. Cell. Biol. 24, 3057-3067.

Collins, S., Cao, W. H., and Robidoux J. (2004). Learning new tricks from old dogs: beta-adrenergic receptors teach new lessons on firing up adipose tissue metabolism. Mol. Endocrinol. 18(9), 2123-2131.

Collins, S., Cao, W., Robidoux, J., and Daniel, K. W. (2003). Mechanisms of ßAR signaling in adipocytes and functional consequences on thermogenesis. In Progress in Obesity Research: 9 (Medeiros-Neto, G., Halpern, A., and Bouchard, C., editors), pp. 135-138. John Libbey Eurotext, Montrouge, France.

Aubriot, S., Nicolle, E., Lattier, M., Morel, C., Cao, W., Daniel, K. W., Collins, S., Leclerc, G., and Faure, P. (2002). New series of aryloxypropanolamines with both human ß3-adrenoceptor agonistic activity and free radical scavenging properties. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 12, 209-212.

Medvedev, A. V., Robidoux, J., Bai, X., Cao, W., Floering, L. M., Daniel, K. W., and Collins, S. (2002). Regulation of the uncoupling protein-2 gene in INS-1 beta-cells by oleic acid. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 42639-42644.

Cao, W., Medvedev, A. V., Daniel, K. W., and Collins, S. (2001). ß-adrenergic activation of p38 MAP kinase in adipocytes: cAMP induction of the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) gene requires p38 MAP kinase. J. Biol. Chem. 276, 27077-27082.

Collins, S., Cao, W., Soeder, K. J., and Snedden, S. K. (2001). ß3-adrenergic receptor signaling in adipocytes. In Nutrient-Gene Interactions in Health and Disease (Moustaid-Moussa, N. and Berdanier, C. D., editors), pp. 261-282. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Cao, W., Luttrell, L. M., Medvedev, A. V., Pierce, K. L., Daniel, K. W., Dixon, T. M., Lefkowitz, R. J., and Collins, S. (2000). Direct binding of activated c-Src to the ß3-adrenergic receptor is required for MAP kinase activation. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 38131-38134.

Soeder, K. J., Snedden, S. K, Cao, W., Della Rocca, G. J., Daniel, K. W., Luttrell, L. M., and Collins, S. (1999). The ß3-adrenergic receptor activates mitogen-activated protein kinase in adipocytes through a Gi-dependent mechanism. J. Biol. Chem. 274, 12017-12022.

Cao, W. H. and Garcia, Balnco, M. A. (1998). A serine-arginine-rich domain in the human U1 70K protein is necessary and sufficient for ASF/SF2 binding. J. Biol. Chem. 273, 20629-20635.

Cao, W. H., Jamison, S. F., and Garcia-Blanco, M. A. (1997). Both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of ASF/SF2 are required for pre-mRNA splicing in vitro. RNA 3(12), 1456-1467.