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Ntambi JM, Stover PJ. A Conversation with James Ntambi. Annu Rev Nutr 2023; 43:1-23. [PMID: 37253680 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-061021-020321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
An interview with James M. Ntambi, professor of biochemistry and the Katherine Berns Van Donk Steenbock Professor in Nutrition, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, took place via Zoom in April 2022. He was interviewed by Patrick J. Stover, director of the Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture and professor of nutrition and biochemistry and biophysics at Texas A&M University. Dr. James Ntambi is a true pioneer in the field of nutritional biochemistry. He was among the very first to discover and elucidate the role that diet and nutrients play in regulating metabolism through changes in the expression of metabolic genes, focusing on the de novo lipogenesis pathways. As an African immigrant from Uganda, his love of science and his life experiences in African communities suffering from severe malnutrition molded his scientific interests at the interface of biochemistry and nutrition. Throughout his career, he has been an academic role model, a groundbreaking nutrition scientist, and an educator. His commitment to experiential learning through the many study-abroad classes he has hosted in Uganda has provided invaluable context for American students in nutrition. Dr. Ntambi's passion for education and scientific discovery is his legacy, and the field of nutrition has benefited enormously from his unique perspectives and contributions to science that are defined by his scientific curiosity, his generosity to his students and colleagues, and his life experiences. The following is an edited transcript.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Ntambi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA;
| | - Patrick J Stover
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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Chen T, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Zhu D, Yu J, Li G, Sun Z, Wang W, Jiang H, Hong Z. MiR-27a promotes insulin resistance and mediates glucose metabolism by targeting PPAR-γ-mediated PI3K/AKT signaling. Aging (Albany NY) 2019; 11:7510-7524. [PMID: 31562809 PMCID: PMC6781997 DOI: 10.18632/aging.102263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to establish a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mouse model and a cell culture model of insulin resistance (IR) in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. A dual-luciferase reporter assay (DLRA) was confirmed interaction between miR-27a and the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ. The inhibition of PPAR-γ expression by microRNA (miR)-27a in IR cells at both the protein and mRNA levels was confirmed by a mechanistic investigation. Moreover, the 3'-UTR of PPAR-γ was found to be a direct target of miR-27a, based on the DLRA. Furthermore, antagomiR-27a upregulated the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling and glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) expression at the protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, the PPAR inhibitor T0070907 repressed the insulin sensitivity upregulated by antagomiR-27a, which was accompanied by the inhibition of PPAR-γ expression and increased levels of AKT phosphorylation and GLUT4. The PI3K inhibitor wortmannin reduced miR-27a-induced increases in AKT phosphorylation, glucose uptake, and GLUT4. miR-27a is considered to be involved in the PPAR-γ-PI3K/AKT-GLUT4 signaling axis, thus leading to increased glucose uptake and decreased IR in HFD-fed mice and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Therefore, miR-27a is a novel target for the treatment of IR in obesity and diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianbao Chen
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Yilan Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Dexiao Zhu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Guoqian Li
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zhichun Sun
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wanru Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Hongwei Jiang
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
| | - Zhenzhen Hong
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
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