On Thursday, June 2, Ohio University’s Appalachian Rural Health Institute (ARHI) Diabetes/Endocrine Center and Edison Biotechnology Institute (EBI) hold a one-day symposium, “Diabetes, Growth hormone, and the Metabolic Syndrome.” The mini-symposium begins at 11:30 a.m. in Grosvenor West 111, located on the Athens campus of Ohio University.

EBI and the ARHI Diabetes/Endocrine Center invite scientists, researchers and health-care professionals at the university and in the community to attend this symposium, said Leonard Kohn, M.D., OU-COM professor of biomedical sciences and EBI principal investigator.

The mini-symposium will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of some of the latest research and thinking on the causes and potential cures for diabetes, obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome. The prevalence of diabetes and obesity in Appalachian Ohio are higher than the national averages. “Research on the cause and cure of diabetes, obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome is a major focus of scientists and physicians at OU-COM and Edison Biotechnology Institute,” said Kohn.

“The goal of our programs is to bring research successes to everyday medicine as rapidly as possible in order to improve patient care in our community and elsewhere.”

The symposium will feature three distinguished researchers from Japan and Denmark, Takashi Akamizu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Translational Research Center, Kyoto University Hospital-Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine; Shoichiro Ikuyama, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine, Kyushu University, Beppu, Japan; and Jens Otto Lunde Jergensen, M.D., professor of medicine, University of Åarhus, Kommune Hospital, Åarhus, Denmark.

“We are fortunate to have these three eminent researchers present their work for the benefit of the university and local health-care professionals,” said Kohn.

“Dr. Akamizu will discuss translational research on Ghrelin, a 28-amino acid acylated peptide, which displays strong growth hormone releasing activity in concert with growth hormone releasing hormone; it is a major player in appetite control in obesity. Work on the role of growth hormone in Type 2 diabetes and its link to obesity is a major research area of scientists at EBI, the college and the center.

“Dr. Ikuyama will discuss work on adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP), which is a lipid droplet-associated protein that is expressed early during adipose differentiation and is important in fat accumulation. Obesity, an excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, is associated with the development of serious medical conditions, including Type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease and hyperlipidemia via an insulin resistance state. Like PPAR drugs, alone or in cooperation with each other, ADRP is important in inducing the transcription of many adipocyte-specific genes encoding proteins and enzymes involved in creating and maintaining the adipose phenotype, such as lipogenesis, lipolysis, glucose metabolism and endocrine functions. It is critical to the development and expression of visceral fat, now known to be a site of inflammatory proteins important in the Metabolic Syndrome.

“Dr. Jergensen’s presentation will put things into the context of clinical care with his concluding talk on growth hormone, insulin resistance and metabolism. He is an expert on clinical use of growth hormone agonists and antagonists, their relationship to fatty acid levels in the Metabolic Syndrome and their link to insulin resistance and obesity. He also is an expert on bariatric surgery for obesity and its relevance to patients with Type 2 diabetes, which prevalent in this region.”

Akamizu’s presentation, “Translational Research of Ghrelin,” will begin at 11:30 a.m. Ikuyama’s presentation, “There existed ‘depository genes’ first. — Regulatory mechanism of adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) expression,” begins at 2:15 p.m. Jergensen’s, “Growth Hormone, Insulin Resistance, and Metabolism: Is insulin a Resistance a ‘Bad Thing?’” is the final presentation of the day and starts at 3:15 p.m. A luncheon, sponsored by Interthyr Corp., will be held on the Ridges at EBI and starts at 1:15 p.m.

The ARHI Diabetes/Endocrine Center was founded by OU-COM and the College of Health and Human Services to further diabetes research, clinical training and care, and education. In addition to featuring national experts in the field of diabetes and related research, the center holds regular seminars to provide a forum for Ohio University researchers to learn about each other’s work and, hopefully, facilitate opportunities for more interdisciplinary and interdepartmental research collaborations.

EBI, an interdisciplinary research institute of Ohio University, has a two-fold purpose: basic discovery research and development of new technology and the transfer of technology to the private sector for the economic benefit of Ohio. Encompassed in these are understanding the molecular/genetic basis of diseases that disproportionately affect the people of Appalachian Ohio and also are major worldwide challenges. EBI investigators pursue internationally recognized research programs, which include growth disorders; diabetes, obesity and related cardiovascular complications; aging; infectious diseases; and cancer. Its overarching goal is the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for health care based on our growing understanding of these diseases.