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Dr. Kee-Hong Kim

Assistant Professor

Post-doctoral Fellowship –University of California, Berkeley, CA
Ph.D.–Rutgers University, NJ, 1999
M.S.–Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
B.S.-Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Affiliations

Member, NAASO The Obesity Society
Member, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

Curriculum Vitae

Research

Obesity is a global health problem. Obesity contributes to the increased prevalence of other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and coronary heart diseases, which are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the US. Activation of adipocyte differentiation (adipogenesis) and inflammatory response of adipose tissue has been known to contribute to the development of obesity and obesity-associated chronic diseases. Despite having continuous attention on dietary phytochemicals and traditional medicinal compounds as potential pharmacogenetic sources for treating and/or preventing these diseases, limited number of dietary anti-obese agents has been identified. By employing molecular and biochemical studies utilizing cultured mammalian cells and animal model of obesity, our research focuses on identifying anti-obese components from dietary phytochemicals and products generated during food processing, and understanding their modes of action in adipocyte development and function.

Altered functional homeostasis of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has been implicated to the development of obesity and insulin resistance. Dr. Kim’s laboratory is investigating the physiological role of a novel endoplasmic reticulum resident selenium binding protein Selenoprotein S (SEPS1) in ER stress-regulated inflammation and cell differentiation in adipose tissue.

We have previously discovered a novel adipokine ADSF (adipose tissue-specific secretory factor) also known Resistin, that regulates adipogenesis and insulin sensitivity in rodents. We now study the role of human and mouse ADSF/Resistin in inflammatory action of adipose tissue.

Selected Publications

Kim K.-H.*, Gao Y, Walder K, Collier GR, Skelton J, Kissebah AH. SEPS1 protects RAW264.7 cells from pharmacological ER stress agent-induced apoptosis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2007 Mar 2;354(1):127-32. Epub 2007 Jan 2. (*corresponding author)

Gao Y, Hannan NR, Wanyonyi S, Konstantopolous N, Pagnon J, Feng HC, Jowett JB, Kim K.-H., Walder K, Collier GR. Activation of the selenoprotein SEPS1 gene expression by pro-inflammatory cytokines in HepG2 cells. Cytokine. 2006 Mar 7;33(5):246-51. Epub 2006 Mar 30.

Sakajiri S, O'kelly J, Yin D, Miller CW, Hofmann WK, Oshimi K, Shih LY, Kim K.-H, Sul HS, Jensen CH, Teisner B, Kawamata N, Koeffler HP. 2005. Dlk1 in normal and abnormal hematopoiesis. Leukemia 19:1404-10

Villena, J.A., Roy, S., Sarkadi-Nagy, E., Kim, K.-H., Sul, H.S. 2004. Desnutrin, a new patatin-like adipocyte protein, is induced by fasting and glucocorticoids, and increases triglyceride hydrolysis. J Biol Chem. 279:47066-75

Kim, K.-H., Zhao, L., Moon, Y., Kang, C., Sul, H.S. 2004. Dominant inhibitory ADSF/Resistin enhances adipogenesis and improves insulin sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101:6780-85.

Lee, K., Villena, J.A., Moon, Y.S., Kim, K.-H., Lee, S., Kang, C., and Sul, H.S. 2003. Inhibition of adipogenesis and development of glucose intolerance by soluble preadipocyte factor-1 (Pref-1). J. Clinical Investigation 111:453-61

Villena, J.A., Kim, K.-H., Sul, H.S. 2002. Pref-1 and ADSF/Resistin: two secreted factors controlling adipose tissue development. Hormone and Metabolic Research 34:664-70.

Moon, Y.S., Smas, C.M., Lee, K., Villena, J.A., Kim, K.-H., Yun, E.J., Sul, H.S. 2002. Mice lacking paternally expressed pref-1/dlk1 display growth retardation and accelerated adiposity. Mol Cell Biol. 22:5585-92.

Kim, K.-H., Lee, K., Moon, Y.S., Sul, H.S. 2001. A cysteine-rich adipose tissue-specific secretory factor inhibits adipocyte differentiation. J Biol Chem. 276:11252-6.

Contact Dr. Kim

e-mail: keehong(at)purdue.edu

Address:
Department of Food Science
745 Agriculture Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2009

Phone: (765) 496-2330