Steenbock Professor of Nutritional Sciences
Professor of Biochemistry
B.S. 1975, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda
Msc. 1978, Makerere University Kampala Uganda
Ph.D. 1985, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Contact:
jmntambi@wisc.edu
Research Interests:
Genetic Regulation of Metabolism Nutrient gene interactions
Research Summary:
The general theme of my research is to understand the genetic regulation of metabolism, adipocyte biology and differentiation. I am specifically interested in the genetic basis of obesity, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and diabetes and how dietary factors, hormones and environmental factors influence these disease states. In particular, I study the regulation of the mammalian stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) genes that encode an enzyme involved in biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids. WE are using these genes as a model to understand nutrient gene interactions. We have recently genetically engineered mice that are born without the stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene-1 and found that these mice resist obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and other aspects of the metabolic syndrome.
I am also interested in conducting research on obesity and diabetes and other non-communicable metabolic diseases in developing countries. I provide advice on how to prevent or delay the progression of metabolic diseases through nutritional interventions.
Representative Publications
https://biochem.wisc.edu/faculty/ntambi/publications
Masashi Masuda, Shinobu Miyazaki-Anzai, Audrey L. Keenan, Kayo Okamura, Stefan Offermans, James M. Ntambi, Makoto Kuro, Makoto Miyazaki. Identification of a class of metabolites responsible for saturated fatty acid-induced lipotoxicity and vascular calcification. JCI 2015. In Press.
Vishal Singh, Benoit Chassaing, Limin Zhang, Beng San Yeoh, Xia Xiao Manish Kumar, Mark T Baker, Kevin Harvatine, James M Ntambi, Andrew D. Patterson, Andrew Gewirtz, Matam Vijay-Kumar. Microbiota-Dependent Hepatic Lipogenesis Mediated by Stearoyl CoA Desaturase (SCD-1) Determines Metabolic Syndrome in TLR5-Deficient Mice Cell Metabolism. 2015. In Press.
Maggie S. Burhans, Matthew T. Flowers, Kristin R. Harrington, Laura M. Bond, Chang-An Guo, Rozalyn M. Anderson, and James M. Ntambi Hepatic oleate regulates adipose tissue lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. J. Lipid Res. 2015 56:(2) 304-318.
Nicholas J Friedlander; Maggie S Burhans, Ph.D.; Lacmbouh Ade; Lucas M O’Neill; Xiaoli Chen, M.D., Ph.D. James M Ntambi, Ph.D. Global deletion of lipocalin 2 does not reverse high-fat diet-induced obesity resistance in stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 skin-specific knockout mice. BBRC 2014 Mar 14; 445(3): 578-83.
Jie Liu, Resat Cinar, Keming Xiong, Grzegorz Godlewski, Tony Jourdan, Yuhong Lin, James M. Ntambi, and George Kunos. Monounsaturated fatty acids generated via stearoyl CoA desaturase-1 are endogenous inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase. PNAS 2013 110 (47) 18832-18837
Matthew T. Flowers, Lacmbouh Ade, Maggie S. Strable and James M. Ntambi. Combined deletion of SCD1 from adipose tissue and liver does not protect mice from obesity. Journal of Lipid Research 2012 53. 1646-1653.
Matthew T. Flowers, Chad M. Paton, Sheila M. O’Byrne, Kevin Scheisser, John Dawson, William S. Blaner, Christina Kendziorski, James M. Ntambi. Metabolic Changes in Skin Caused by Scd1 deficiency: A Focus on Retinol Metabolism. PLoS One 2011 5, (5) e19734.
Pawel Dobrzyn, Agnieszka Dobrzyn, Makoto Miyazaki, James M. Ntambi. Loss of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 rescues cardiac function in obese leptin-deficient mice. J. Lipid Res. 2010 51:(8) 2202-2210.
Liu X, Miyazaki M, Flowers MT, Sampath H, Zhao M, Chu K, Paton CM, Joo DS, Ntambi JM. Loss of stearoyl-CoA Desaturase-1 Attenuates Adipocyte inflammation: Effects of Adipocyte-Derived Oleate Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2010 30, 31-8.
Harini Sampath, Matthew T. Flowers, Xueqing Liu, Chad M. Paton, Ruth Sullivan, Kiki Chu, Minghui Zhao, and James M. Ntambi. Skin-specific deletion of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 alters skin lipid composition and protects mice from high-fat diet-induced obesity. JBC 2009 284 19961-19973.