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by
Brooke Bunch
The Diabetes Research seminars
continue Wednesday when Nanette Steinle, M.D., discusses her
surprising findings involving a study of plant sterols and their
effects on an intestinal transporter. Steinle is an assistant
professor of medicine and the clinical laboratory director for
molecular biology, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and
Nutrition, University of Maryland School of Medicine
(Baltimore).
Her research sheds light on
risks for cardiovascular disease.
The seminar, entitled
“Phytosterols, genetics and risk for cardiovascular disease;
studies of ABCG8 transporter G574R heterozygotes in the Old
Order Amish,” focuses on the absorption of plant sterols, which
are ingredients in a number of fat-based foods on the market,
including margarine and salad dressings.
Plant sterols are substances
found naturally in plants and wood pulps. They are similar in
composition to cholesterol but are not made by the human body.
Their function in the body is to reduce cholesterol by
preventing its absorption in the intestines.
Steinle’s seminar is hosted by
the Appalachian Rural Health Institute's Diabetes/Endocrine
Center, which was
founded by OU-COM and
the College of Health and Human Services to further diabetes
research, clinical training and care, and education.
The seminars provide a forum
for Ohio University researchers to learn about each other’s work
and, hopefully, open the door to more interdisciplinary and
interdepartmental research collaborations, says Frank
Schwartz, M.D., director of the center and OU-COM associate
professor of endocrinology.
Steinle will discuss her study,
which focused on a selected population looking at individuals
with one copy of the gene rather than two.
“If you have two copies of the
gene, you have premature cardiovascular disease,” she says. “So
we wanted to know what happened if you just had one copy — if
you were the carrier.”
Steinle says
their findings were surprising.
“We
anticipated it to be the other way,” she says. “We anticipated
people with higher levels of plant sterols would have an
increased risk for cardiovascular disease. But it’s possible to
have higher sterol levels and have a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease.”
Steinle will
discuss her study as well as other studies involving mice as
subjects. She will also talk about plant sterols in general,
where they come from and their role in the human body.
“The way
cholesterol and plant sterols are absorbed is not well
understood,” she says. “I’m going to examine the current
thinking.”
Steinle’s visit is highly
anticipated.
“I understand she is an outstanding molecular biologist and
clinician,” says Leonard Kohn, M.D., J.O. Watson, D.O.,
Endowed Research Chair and
distinguished senior research scientist at the Edison
Biotechnology Institute. “She is highly regarded by her
peers.”
Steinle received her M.D.
degree from the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo. She was an
endocrinology fellow at the University of Maryland Medical
System and is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal
Medicine. She is board certified in internal medicine and
endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. Among her memberships
and affiliation are the American College of Physicians, The
Endocrine Society, the American Diabetes Association and the
American Society for Nutritional Sciences. She has published in
several journals, including the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.
Steinle will present on
Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 3 p.m. in 111 Grosvenor West.
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