Lale Ozcan Lab

Research

Our focus is to identify novel pathways involved in the regulation of glucose and cholesterol metabolism in the setting of obesity. Using biochemical, molecular and cellular biology techniques and animal models of human disease, we aim to bring new insights into complex metabolic abnormalities and identify potential therapeutic targets.

Selected Publications

• Wang Y, Tinsley B, Spolitu S, Zadroga J, Agarwal H, Sarecha AK, Ozcan L. Geranylgeranyl isoprenoids and hepatic Rap1a regulate basal and statin-induced expression of PCSK9. Journal of Lipid Research 1:100515
• Agarwal H, Tinsley B, Sarecha AK, Ozcan L. Rap1 in the context of PCSK9, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Current Atherosclerosis Reports 25(12):931-937
• Wang Y, Spolitu S, Zadroga JA, Sarecha AK, Ozcan L. Hepatocyte Rap1a contributes to obesity- and statin-associated hyperglycemia. Cell Reports 40(8):111259
• Dai W, Choubey M, Patel S, Singer HA, Ozcan L. Adipocyte CaMKII deficiency improves obesity-associated glucose intolerance. Molecular Metabolism 53:100130
• Spolitu S, Okamoto H, Dai W, Zadroga JA, Wittchen ES, Gromada J, Ozcan L. Hepatic glucagon signaling regulates PCSK9 and LDL-cholesterol. Circulation Res., 124:38-51 #Recommended on Faculty of 1000 (F1000) Prime.
• Spolitu S, Dai W, Zadroga JA, Ozcan L. PCSK9 and Lipid Metabolism. Curr Opin Lipidol. 30(3):186-191
• Ghorpade D, Ozcan L, Zheng Z, Nicoloro SM, Shen Y, Chen E, Blüher M, Czech MP, Tabas I. Hepatocyte-secreted DPP4 in obesity promotes adipose inflammation and insulin resistance. Nature 555(7698):673-677
• Ozcan L, Ghorpade DS, Zheng Z, de Souza JC, Chen K, Bessler M, Bagloo M, Schrope B, Pestell R, Tabas I. Hepatocyte DACH1 is increased in obesity via nuclear exclusion of HDAC4 and promotes hepatic insulin resistance. Cell Reports, (10):2214-2225
• Ozcan L, Xu X, Deng SX, Ghorpade DS, Thomas T, Cremers S, Hubbard B, Serrano-Wu MH, Gaestel M, Landry DW, Tabas I. Treatment of obese insulin resistant mice with an allosteric MAPKAPK2/3 inhibitor lowers blood glucose and improves insulin senstivity. Diabetes, 141945
• Ozcan L, de Souza JC, Harari A, Backs J, Olson EN, Tabas I. Activation of calcium/calmodulin- dependent protein kinase II in obesity mediates suppression of hepatic insulin signaling. Cell Metab., 18, 1-12
• Ozcan L, Wong CCL, Li G, Xu T, Park SKR, Wronska A, Chen BX, Marks AR, Fukamizu A, Backs J, Singer HA, Yates JR III, Accili D, Tabas I. Regulation of hepatic glucose production by a calcium-sensing enzyme, CaMKII. Cell Metab., 15, 1-13

• Complete List of Publications

Lab Alumni