The Department of Physiology is pleased to announce
Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, UTHSC College of Pharmacy
will present his seminar titled
“MicroRNAs: As Therapeutics for Adipose Tissue Inflammation and Obesity”
Thursday, April 17, 2025
3:30 – 5:00 pm
Cancer Research Building Auditorium, Room 114
Refreshments will be provided.
Summary:
Our goal is to determine whether miR10a mimics in vivo modulate AT inflammation, adipogenesis, metabolic, and browning markers during obesity. Mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for eight weeks and then injected with miR-10a mimic (miR-10a) twice a week for four weeks continuing with HFD. Body weight, ECO-MRI, and blood glucose levels were measured every week. The body weight increment rate, blood glucose, adipocyte size, number of crown-like structures, and various fat depot weights were reduced after miR-10a treatment. miR-10a treatment induces glucose tolerance and reduces activated T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs) as compared to the control. Interestingly, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and IL-33 expression in AT resident immune cells increased in the miR-10a group. The expression of inflammatory genes and adipogenic marker PPARγ were reduced, and browning genes were prominently induced in the miR-10a treated group as compared to the control. Taken together, the results suggest that miR-10a accelerates adipose tissue browning and thermogenesis, and impedes adipocyte hypertrophy, and inflammation during obesity by inducing IL-33-associated AT browning, and Tregs which reduces AT inflammation.
Biography:
Dr. Udai P Singh, primary research interest includes the area of mucosal immunology, inflammation, obesity, microRNAs, and working in immunometabolism for the last 24 years. Dr. Singh has authored ~ 135 scientific communications including 6 patent applications, and ~81 invited lectures. Dr. Singh served in several study sections including the NIH Director award, and several DOD panels related to autoimmune diseases and inflammation. Dr. Singh’s long-time career goal is to understand how alternative medicine and microRNAs mediate gut, and bladder inflammation and obesity in general. Dr. Singh’s research current interests are focused on these projects: 1) developing innovative therapeutic approaches to suppress obesity and adipose tissue inflammation by novel microRNAs; 2) developing therapeutic to suppress Inflammatory bowel disease and interstitial cystitis by alternative medicine; 3) developing novel strategies to attenuate obesity, diabetes by using regulatory T cells (Tregs) bispecific Abs.