Molecular Medicine Branch

Molecular Cell Biology Section

Constance Tom Noguchi, Ph.D., Section Chief

The Molecular Cell Biology Section investigates cytokine regulation of metabolism using animal models to identify potential human metabolic response to endogenous erythropoietin and erythropoietin treatment. Erythropoietin binding to its receptor has activity beyond regulation of red blood cell production. Studies of erythropoietin activity in animal models include regulation of glucose metabolism, effects on heart health, modulation of bone formation, metabolic and inflammatory response to high fat diet-induced obesity in adipose tissue and brain, modification of lipid stores in fat and skeletal muscle, and sex and age dependent non-erythroid activity. Section members have recently shown that erythropoietin regulates expression of lipid metabolism associated genes in white adipose tissue via transcription factor RUNX1 that directly inhibits lipogenic gene expression and increases lipolytic gene expression. A new area of research is erythropoietin regulation of fat and glucose metabolism associated with fatty liver disease mediated by modulation of bile acid associated signaling pathway. Non-erythroid tissue specific erythropoietin activity provides the potential for erythropoietin to affect tissue maintenance or repair and metabolic response.