Justin Bushkofsky
Campus Mailing Address: 2683 MSC, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI 53704
Major Professor: Dr. Colin Jefcoate
Email: bushkofsky@wisc.edu
Telephone: 608-263-3128
Degree Objective: Ph.D. Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology
Background: BS - St. Cloud State University 5/2006
Research Project:
A novel link between obesity, estradiol (E2), and leptin has emerged from our studies of mice deficient in cytochrome P4501Bl (CYPIBl). As in humans, obesity in pregnant dams predisposes the offspring to the metabolic syndrome (obesity). Surprisingly, CYPIBI deficiency in C57B6 mice suppresses the obesity response to a high fat diet (HFD) despite modest leptin levels and effective in vitro adipogenesis of isolated pre-adipocytes. A maternal HFD substantially enhances this suppression effect in CYPIBl -/- offspring, suggesting that maternal dietary signals may interact with CYPIBI to imprint a long-term developmental effect on the embryo. The suppression of fat storage by CYPIBI deletion is completely reversed when the mice also lack leptin (ob/ob x CYPIBl -/-). This study aims to provide evidence for a novelleptin/fatty acid/CYPIBl/estradiol axis that has a large impact on energy management, pregnancy and childhood development.
Awards:
- Training Grant Funding T32-HD041921-04, 05