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Kenji Saito, PhD

Address: 2-300 BSB
Phone: (319) 384-3020
Email: kenji-saito@uiowa.edu

Mentor: Huxing Cui, PhD

PhD Institution: The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Japan, 2011

Research Description

Study of the role of brain estrogen-related receptor alpha (Esrra) in energy homeostasis and eating disorders using genetic mouse models

Awards

  • Trainee Advocacy Committee Onsite Poster Award, American Heart Association Joint Scientific Session, Chicago, 2018

Publications

  1. Yamanashia T, Malicoat JR, Steffen KT, Zarei K, Li R, Purnell BS, Najafi A, Saito K, Singh U, Toth BA, Lee S, Dailey ME, Cui H, Kaneko K, Cho HR, Iwata M, Buchanan GF, Shinozakia G.* Bispectral EEG (BSEEG) quantifying neuro-inflammation in mice induced by systemic inflammation: A potential mouse model of delirium. Journal of Psychiatric Research 133(2021) 205-211, 2021.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.036
  2. Saito K, Davis KC, Morgan DA, Toth BA, Jiang J, Singh U, Berglund ED, Grobe JL, Rahmouni K, Cui H.: Celastrol Reduces Obesity in MC4R Deficiency and Stimulates Sympathetic Nerve Activity Affecting Metabolic and Cardiovascular Functions. Diabetes 68(6):1210-1220, 2019.  PMCID: PMC6610022
  3. Saito K, Cui H.: Emerging roles of estrogen-related receptors in the brain: Potential interactions with estrogen signaling. Int J Mol Sci.19(4), pii: E1091, 2018. PMCID: PMC5979530 
  4. Saito K, He Y, Yan X, Yang Y, Wang C, Xu P, Hinton Jr. AO, Shu G, Yu L, Tong Q, Xu Y.:  Visualizing estrogen receptor-α-expressing neurons using a new ERα-ZsGreen reporter mouse line. Metabolism 65:522–532, 2016.  PMCID: PMC4794642
  5. Yan C, He Y, Xu Y, Shu G, Wang C, Yang Y, Saito K, Xu P, Hinton Jr. AO, Yan X, Yu L, Wu Q, Tso P, Tong Q, Xu Y.:  Apolipoprotein A-IV Inhibits AgRP/NPY Neurons and Activates POMC Neurons in the Arcuate Nucleus. Neuroendocrinology. 103(5):476-488, 2016.  PMCID: PMC4767704
  6. Zhu L, Xu P, Cao X, Yang Y, Hinton Jr. AO, Xia Y, Saito K, Yan X, Zou F, Ding H, Wang C, Yan C, Saha P, Khan SA, Zhao J, Fukuda M, Tong Q, Clegg DJ, Chan L, Xu Y.:  The ERα-PI3K cascade in proopiomelanocortin progenitor neurons regulates feeding and glucose balance in female mice. Endocrinology 156:4474–4491, 2015.  PMCID: PMC4655219
  7. Yan C, Yang Y, Saito K, Xu P, Wang C, Hinton Jr. AO, Yan X, Wu Q, Tong Q, Elmquist JK, Fukuda M, Xu Y.:  Meta-chlorophenylpiperazine enhances leptin sensitivity in diet-induced obese mice. Br J Pharmacol 172:3510–3521, 2015.  PMCID: PMC4507156
  8. Xu P, Cao X, He Y, Zhu L, Yang Y, Saito K, Wang C, Yan X, Hinton Jr. AO, Zou F, Ding H, Xia Y, Yan C, Shu G, Wu S, Yang B, Feng Y, Clegg DJ, Demarchi R, Khan S a, Tsai SY, Demayo FJ, Wu Q, Tong Q, Xu Y.:  Estrogen receptor–α in medial amygdala neurons regulates body weight. J Clin Invest 125:2861–2876, 2015.  PMCID: PMC4563687
  9. Saito K, Cao X, He Y, Xu Y.:  Progress in the molecular understanding of central regulation of body weight by estrogens. Obesity 23:919–926, 2015.  PMCID: PMC4414873
  10. Zhu L, Zou F, Yang Y, Xu P, Saito K, Hinton Jr. AO, Yan X, Ding H, Wu Q, Fukuda M, Sun Z, Tong Q, Xu Y.:  Estrogens prevent metabolic dysfunctions induced by circadian disruptions in female mice. Endocrinology 156(6):2144-23, 2015.  PMCID: PMC4430614
  11. Cao X, Xu P, Oyola MG, Xia Y, Yan X, Saito K, Zou F, Wang C, Yang Y, Hinton Jr. AO, Yan C, Ding H, Zhu L, Yu L, Yang B, Feng Y, Clegg DJ, Khan S, DiMarchi R, Mani SK, Tong Q, Xu Y.:  Estrogens stimulate serotonin neurons to inhibit binge-like eating in mice. J Clin Invest 124:4351-4362, 2014.  PMCID: PMC4191033
  12. Saito K, Kakizaki T, Hayashi R, Nishimaru H, Furukawa T, Nakazato Y, Takamori S, Ebihara S, Uematsu M, Mishina M, Miyazaki J-I, Yokoyama M, Konishi S, Inoue K, Fukuda A, Fukumoto M, Nakamura K, Obata K, Yanagawa Y.:  The physiological roles of vesicular GABA transporter during embryonic development: a study using knockout mice. Mol Brain 3:40, 2010.  PMCID: PMC3023674
  13. Wang Y, Kakizaki T, Sakagami H, Saito K, Ebihara S, Kato M, Hirabayashi M, Saito Y, Furuya N, Yanagawa Y.:  Fluorescent labeling of both GABAergic and glycinergic neurons invesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-venus transgenic mouse. Neuroscience 164:1031–43, 2009.  PMID: 19766173
  14. Fujii M, Arata a, Kanbara-Kume N, Saito K, Yanagawa Y, Obata K: Respiratory activity in brainstem of fetal mice lacking glutamate decarboxylase 65/67 and vesicular GABA transporter. Neuroscience 146:1044–52, 2007.  PMID: 17418495