David A. Bernlohr

Current Position (s): Professor and Head, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics

Research Interests and areas of potential collaboration:

Control of intermediary lipid metabolism, obesity, type II diabetes, insulin action, integration of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, regulation of gene expression by lipids and lipid second messengers.

Projects Underway:

1. Role of fatty acid binding proteins in obesity-linked insulin resistance, analysis of knock out and transgenic animal models.

2. Regulation of gene expression by peroxisome-proliferator activated receptors, role of cytoplasmic fatty acid binding proteins.

3. Hormonal regulation of lipolysis and intracellular fatty acid trafficking.

4. Cytokine production by adipose cells and the development of obesity linked insulin resistance.

Selected publications:

Herrmann, T., Buchkremer, F., Gosch, I., Hall, A., Bernlohr, D.A., and Stremmel, W. (2001) Fatty Acid Transport Protein 4 (FATP4): Characterization of the Gene and Functional Assessment as a Very Long Chain Acyl-CoA Synthetase. Gene. 270: 31-40.

Witthuhn, B.A., and Bernlohr D.A. (2001) Upregulation of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein GDF-3/Vgr-2, in Adipose Tissue of FABP4 Null Mice. Cytokine. 14: 129-135.

Helledie, T., Antonius, M., Sorensen, R.V., Hertzel, A.V.,Bernlohr, D.A., Kolvraa, S., Mandrup S., and Kristiansen, K. (2000) Lipid binding proteins modulate ligand-dependent trans-activation by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and localize to the nucleus as well as the cytoplasm.J. Lipid Res. 41: 1740-1751.

Hertzel, A.V., and Bernlohr, D.A. (2000) Fatty Acid Binding Proteins. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 11: 175-180.

Frohnert BI, Bernlohr DA. (2000) Regulation of fatty acid transporters in mammalian cells. Prog Lipid Res. 39(1):83-107.

Hertzel, A.V., Sanders, M.A., Bernlohr, D.A. (2000) Adenovirus-Mediated Gene Transfer in Primary Murine Adipocytes. J. Lipid Res. 41(7):1082-1086. Medline citation

Coe, N.R., Smith, A.J., Frohnert, B.I., Watkins, P.A., and Bernlohr, D.A. (1999) The Fatty Acid Transport Protein (FATP1) is a Very Long-chain Acyl-CoA Synthetase. J. Biol. Chem. 274:36300-36304. Medline citation

Shen, W.J., Sridhar, K., Bernlohr, D.A., and Kraemer, F.B. (1999) Interaction of rat hormone-sensitive lipase with adipocyte lipid-binding protein. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 96(10):5528-5532. Medline citation

Coe, N.R., Simpson, M.A., and Bernlohr, D.A. (1999) Targeted Disruption of the Adipocyte Lipid-Binding Protein Gene (aP2) Impairs Fat Cell Lipolysis and Increases Cellular Fatty Acid Levels. J. Lipid. Res. 40(5):967-972 . Medline citation

Frohnert, B. I., Hui, T.-Y. and Bernlohr, D.A. (1998) Identification of a Functional Peroxisome Proliferator-Responsive Element in the Murine Fatty Acid Transport Protein (FATP) Gene. J. Biol. Chem. 274:3970-3977. Medline citation