Carl Grunfeld , MD, PhD
Research Interests
My research interest is in disturbances in lipid and glucose metabolism due to infection and inflammation, which are part of the Acute Phase Response (APR) that occurs predominantly in the liver. Cytokines change the liver synthetic program, shutting off many classic liver genes and turning on other genes. While much is known about how genes are activated in the APR, less is known about how critical genes are turned off in the APR, resulting in major shifts in metabolic pathways. We have shown that several nuclear hormone receptors plummet, leading to decreased expression of genes for fatty acid oxidation and bile acid synthesis. Although this is helpful for host defense, it is harmful in the long run because it promotes VLDL production and atherosclerosis. Current work is focused on how the nuclear hormone receptors are regulated in the liver during the APR and identifying new proteins whose production is regulated in the liver.
Selected Publications
- Kim MS, Sweeney TR, Shigenaga JK, Chui LG, Moser A, Grunfeld C, Feingold KR. Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 1 decrease RXRalpha, PPARalpha, PPARgamma, LXRalpha, and the coactivators SRC-1, PGC-1alpha, and PGC-1beta in liver cells. Metabolism 2007;56:267-279.
- Lu B, Sims PJ, Wiedmer T, Moser AH, Shigenaga JK, Grunfeld C, Feingold KR. Expression of the phospholipid scramblase (PLSCR) gene family during the acute phase response. Biochim Biophys Acta 2007;1771:1177-1185.
- Feingold KR, Shigenaga JK, Chui LG, Moser A, Khovidhunkit W, Grunfeld C. Infection and inflammation decrease apolipoprotein M expression. Atherosclerosis 2008;199:19-26.
- Feingold KR, Moser AH, Shigenaga JK, Patzek SM, Grunfeld C. Inflammation stimulates the expression of PCSK9. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008, in press.
Professor & Division Chief, VA Medical Center Medicine/Endocrinology and Metabolism
Research Theme
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Hepatic Physiology and Metabolism
Contact Information
- Carl.Grunfeld@
ucsf.edu - Phone: (415) 750-2005
- Fax: (415) 750-6927
- VA Medical Center
- 4150 Clement Street
- Box 111F 465
- San Francisco, CA 94121
Other UCSF Affiliations
- BMS Graduate Program
- Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
- UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment, Study & Treatment