Campuses:
 | Ph.D., Assistant Professor Department of Food Science and Nutrition Address: Room 267 FScN Phone: 612-626-2904 Fax: (612) 625-5272 dmashek@umn.edu Mashek Research Group |
Our laboratory studies how fatty acids elicit changes in energy metabolism especially as it relates to the prevention or treatment of diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hepatic steatosis. Specifically, our research team focuses on mechanisms controlling intracellular fatty acid trafficking and how fatty acids or their metabolites control physiological processes in cells. We are particularly interested in trying to understand how these distinct pools of fatty acids and/or their metabolites affect gene expression. We are also very interested in identifying the distinct mechanisms through which saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids affect the development of metabolic diseases. Various ongoing projects are studying the effects of fatty acids on hepatic energy metabolism, the development of insulin resistance and food intake regulation.
Coleman RA, Mashek DG. Mammalian triacylglycerol metabolism: synthesis, lipolysis and signaling. Chemical Reviews (in press)
Greenberg AS, Coleman RA, Kraemer FB, McManaman JL, Obin MI, Puri V, Yan QW, Miyoshi H, Mashek DG. The role of lipid droplets in metabolic disease in rodents and humans. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2011;121(6):2102-2110
Stapleton CM, Mashek DG, Wang S, Nagle CA, Cline GW, Thuillier P, Leesnitzer LM, Li LO, Stimmel JB, Shulman GI, Coleman RA. Lysophosphatidic acid activates peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-y in CHO cells that over-express glycerol 3-phosphate acltranserase-1. PLoS One 2011 Apr 20; 6(4):e18932.
Ong KT, Mashek MT, Bu SY, Greenberg AS, Mashek DG. Adipose triglyceride lipase is a major hepatic lipase that regulates triacylglycerol turnover and fatty acid signaling and partitioning. Hepatology 2011; 53(1):116-126.
Jin D, Guo H, Bu SY, Zhang Y, Hannaford J, Mashek DG, Chen X. Lipocalin 2 is a selective modulator of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma activation and function in lipid homeostasis and energy expenditure. FASEB Journal 2011; 25(2):754-764.
Schwinkendorf DR, Tsatsos NG, Gosnell BA, Mashek DG. Effects of central administration of distinct fatty acids on hypothalamic neuropeptide expression and energy metabolism. International Journal of Obesity 2011; 35(3):336-344.
Bu SY, Mashek DG. Hepatic long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 5 (ACSL5) mediates fatty acid channeling between anabolic and catabolic pathways. Journal of Lipid Research 2010;51(11):3270-3280.
Aipoalani DL, O’Callaghan BL, Mashek DG, Mariash CN, Towle HC. Overlapping roles of the glucose-responsive genes, S14 and S14R, in hepatic lipogenesis. Endocrinology 2010;151(5):2071-2077
Bu SY, Mashek MT, Mashek DG. Suppression of long chain acyl-CoA synthetase (ACSL3) decreases hepatic de novo fatty acid synthesis through decreased transcriptional activity. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2009;284(44);30474-30483.
Sapiro JM, Mashek MT, Greenberg AS, Mashek DG. (2009) Hepatic triacylglycerol hydrolysis activates PPAR-a. Journal of Lipid Research 50(8):1621-1629.
Mashek DG. Intracellular fatty acid transport, activation and trafficking. In: Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease. Edited by Jim Granneman and Todd Leff, Wiley-VCH Publishing (2010).
Mashek DG, Lei LO, Coleman RA. (2007) Long chain acyl-CoA synthetases and fatty acid channeling. Future Lipidol. 2(4):465-476.
Wang S, Lee DP, Gong N, Schwerbrock NMJ, Mashek DG, Gonzalez-Baró MR, Stapleton C, Li LO, Lewin TM, Coleman RA. (2007) Cloning and functional characterization of a novel mitochondrial N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT2). Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 465(2):347-358.
Li LO, Mashek D.G., An J, Doughman S.D., Newgard C.B., Coleman R.A. (2006) Overexpression of rat long chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 alters fatty acid metabolism in rat primary hepatocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry 281(48):37246-37255.
Mashek DG, Li LO, Coleman RA. (2006) Rat long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase mRNA, protein, and activity vary in tissue distribution and in response to diet. Journal of Lipid Research Sep;47(9):2004-10.
Mashek, D.G. and R.A. Coleman. (2006) Cellular fatty acid uptake: the contribution of metabolism. Current Opinion in Lipidology 17(3):274-278.
Mashek, D.G., M.A. McKenzie, C.G. Van Horn, and R.A. Coleman. (2006) Rat long chain acyl-CoA synthetase 5 increases fatty acid uptake and partitioning to cellular triacylglycerol in McArdle-RH7777 cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry13;281(2):945-950.
Mashek D.G., K.E. Bornfeldt, R.A. Coleman, J. Berger, D.A. Bernlohr, P. Black, C.C. DiRusso, S.A. Farber, W. Guo, N. Hashimoto, V. Khodiyar, F.A. Kuypers, L.J. Maltais, D.W. Nebert, A. Renieri, J.E. Schaffer, A. Stahl, P.A. Watkins, V. Vasiliou, and T.T. Yamamoto. (2004) Revised nomenclature for the long chain mammalian acyl-CoA synthetase gene family. Journal of Lipid Research 45:1958-1961
