Welcome to the website for the laboratory of Dr. Ahmed Bettaieb in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Dr. Bettaieb’s laboratory studies the molecular basis of metabolic diseases with a focus on Obesity, type 2 diabetes and their complications. The team investigates the metabolic and non-metabolic functions of key enzymes and signaling proteins, namely protein tyrosine phosphatases, protein kinases and hydrolases. The long-term objectives are: (1) provide a better understanding of the molecular and genetic mechanisms contributing to the development of metabolic diseases. (2) Exploit novel genes and therapeutic strategies aiming at reducing the overall burden of these diseases
Dr. Ahmed Bettaieb
UPCOMING EVENTS
LATEST RESEARCH
Endoplasmic reticulum stress in the peripheral nervous system is a significant driver of neuropathic pain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Jul 21;112(29):9082-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1510137112. Epub 2015 Jul 6.
Despite intensive effort and resulting gains in understanding the mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain, limited success in therapeutic approaches have been attained. A recently identified, nonchannel, nonneurotransmitter therapeutic target for pain is the enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). The sEH degrades natural analgesic lipid mediators, epoxy fatty acids (EpFAs), therefore its inhibition stabilizes these bioactive mediators.
Anti-inflammatory actions of (-)-epicatechin in the adipose tissue of obese mice.Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2016 Dec;81(Pt B):383-392. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2016.08.044.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are major public health concerns. Visceral adipose tissue inflammation is considered a significant contributor to obesity-associated T2D development. We previously showed that the flavan-3-ol (-)-epicatechin (EC) can mitigate insulin resistance in mice fed a high fat diet (HFD). This study investigated the capacity of EC to inhibit visceral adipose tissue inflammation occurring as a consequence of HFD consumption in C57BL/6J mice, and characterized the underlying mechanisms. In association with the development of obesity and insulin resistance,
