Scientists
Wenhong Cao, M.D.
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Education
B.MedS., Medicine, Hunan Medical University, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 1983.
M.D., Internal Medicine, Hunan Medical University, Hunan, People's Republic of China, 1990.
Certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), 1997.
Research
My laboratory is interested in the control of hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism and mechanisms of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a precursor and key component of many modern diseases caused by the positive energy imbalance due to overeating and/or lack of physical activity. These diseases include obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, asthma, some cancers, and aging. We have recently discovered that insulin may be a necessary player in converting the positive energy imbalance into insulin resistance. i.e. “No insulin, No insulin resistance”. We are currently working on the associated mechanisms.
Selected Publications
Liu, H.Y., Han, J.M., Hong, T., Zhuo, D.G., Shi, J.B., Liu, Z., W. Cao. Hepatic autophagy is suppressed in the presence of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia: inhibition of FoxO1-dependent expression of key autophagy genes by insulin. J. Biol. Chem., 2009, in press.
Liu, H.Y., Hong, T., Han, J., Zhuo, D., Liu, Z., W. Cao. Insulin Is a Stronger Inducer of Insulin Resistance than Hyperglycemia in Mice with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). J. Biol. Chem., accepted in July 2009 (available online)
Liu, H.Y., Hong, T., Han, J., Zhuo, D., Liu, Z., W. Cao. Increased Basal Level of Akt-Dependent Insulin Signaling Is Associated with Decreased Mitochondrial Production and Increased Ectopic Fat Accumulation and Oxidative Stress in the Presence of Insulin Resistance. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab., Accepted on June 14, 2009 (available online)
Li G, Barrett EJ, Ko SH, Cao W, Liu Z. Insulin and IGF-I Receptors Differentially Mediate Insulin-Stimulated Adhesion Molecule Production by Endothelial Cells., Endocrinology, accepted on May 7, 2009
Liu, H.Y., Schnaidman, E.Y., Hong, T., Han, J., Zhuo, D., Liu, Z., W. Cao. Prolonged exposure to insulin suppresses mitochondrial production in primary hepatocytes. J. Biol. Chem., 2009, 284: 14087-95.
Liu, H.Y., Wen, G.B., Han, J.M., Hong, T., Zhuo, D., Liu, Z., and W. Cao. Inhibition of gluconeogenesis in primary hepatocytes by stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) through a c-Src/Akt-dependent signaling pathway. J. Biol. Chem., 2008, 283: 30642-9.
7. 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.
Kim, J.H., Kim, J.E., Liu, H.Y., Cao, W., and Jie, C. IL-6 induces hepatic insulin resistance through the signaling pathway involving mTOR, STAT3, and SOCS3. J. Biol. Chem., 2008, 283:708-15
Chai, W., Wu, Y., Li, G., Cao, W., Yang, Z., and Liu Z. Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase abolishes insulin-induced myocardial protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab., 2008, 294:E183-94.
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.
Li, G., Barrett, E.J., Cao, W., Z. Liu. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha induces insulin resistance in endothelial cells via a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent pathway. Endocrinology, 2007, 48:3356
Liu, H.Y., Collins, Q.F., Xiong, Y., Fatiha Moukdar, Lupo, E.G. and W. Cao. Prolonged treatment of primary hepatocytes with oleate induces insulin resistance through p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. J. Biol. Chem., 2007, 282: 14205-12.
Xiong Y., Collins Q.F., Lupo, E.G., Jie A., Liu H.Y., Liu D.L., Robidoux J., Pluta L., and W. Cao. p38 MAPK plays an inhibitory role in hepatic lipogenesis. J. Biol. Chem., 2007, 282:4975-82.
Collins Q.F., Xiong Y., Lupo E.G., Jr., Liu H.Y., and W. Cao. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase mediates free fatty acid-induced gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes. J. Biol. Chem., 2006, 281: 24336-44
Cao W., Collins Q.F., Becker T.C., Robidoux J., Lupo E.G. Jr., Xiong Y., Daniel K.W., Floering L.M., Collins S. p38 Mitogen-activated protein kinase plays a stimulatory role in hepatic gluconeogenesis. J. Biol. Chem., 2005, 280:42731-7 (Note: Cao was the correspondent).
Bai Y., Onuma H., Bai X., Medvedev A.V., Misukonis M., Weinberg J.B., Cao W., Robidoux J., Floering L.M., Daniel K.W., Collins S. Persistent nuclear factor-kappa B activation in Ucp2-/- mice leads to enhanced nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokine production. J. Biol. Chem., 2005, 280:19062-9
Robidoux J., Cao W., Quan H., Daniel K.W., Moukdar F., Bai X., Floering L.M. and Collins S. Selective activation of MAP kinase kinase-3 and p38alpha MAP kinase is essential for cAMP-dependent UCP1 expression in adipocytes. J. Biol. Chem., 2005, 25: 5466-79
Cao W., Robidoux J., Daniel K.W., Puigserver P., Medvedev A.V., Bai, X., Floering L.M., Spiegelman B. M., and Collins S. 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., 2004, 24:3057-67.
Medvedev A.V., Robidoux J., Cao W., Bai X., Floering L.M., Daniel K.W., Collins S. Regulation of the Uncoupling Protein-2 Gene in INS-1 Beta-Cells by Oleic Acid.
J. Biol. Chem., 2002, 277: 42639-44.
Cao, W., Medvedev, A.V., Daniel, K.W., Collins, S. Beta-Adrenergic activation of p38 MAP Kinase in Adipocytes: cAMP Induction of the UCP1 Gene in Brown Fat Requires p38 MAP Kinase. J. Biol. Chem., 2001, 276: 27077-829
Cao, W., Medvedev, A.V., Luttrell, L.M., Daniel, K.L., Dixon, T.M., Lefkowitz, R.J., and Collins, S. Direct Binding of Activated c-Src to the Beta-3-Adrenergic Receptor is Required for MAP Kinase Activation., J. Biol. Chem., 2000, 275: 38131-4
Soeder, K.J., Snedden, S.K, Cao, W., Della Rocca, G.J., Luttrell, L.M. and Collins, S. The Beta-3-Adrenergic Receptor Activates MAP Kinase in Adipocytes through a Gi-Dependent Mechanism.
J. Biol. Chem., 1999, 274: 12017-12022
Cao, W., Jamison, S.F. and Garcia-Blanco, M.A. Both Phosphorylation and Dephosphorylation of ASF/SF2 Are Required for Pre-mRNA Splicing in Vitro., RNA, 1997, 7: 235-246
Cao, W. and Garcia-Balnco, M.A. A Serine-Arginine-Rich Domain in the Human U1 70K Protein Is Necessary and Sufficient for ASF/SF2 Binding. J. Biol. Chem., 1998, 273: 20629-635