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Kamal Rahmouni, PhD

Professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacology

Introduction

The work in my laboratory is focused on the neurobiology of metabolism, energy homeostasis and cardiovascular function and related disorders such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. The central nervous system is a major player in the regulation of energy homeostasis as well as cardiovascular system. Our research is aimed at the identification of the neuroanatomical and molecular pathways involved in the regulation of metabolic, autonomic and cardiovascular functions. We also investigate the dysregulation of these pathways in disease condition such us obesity and diabetes. The lab uses multidisciplinary approaches including basic research tools, genetic models and sophisticated physiological techniques that allow us to address physiological questions at the molecular level. There are currently several ongoing studies aimed at elucidating the intracellular pathways involved in the central nervous system control of energy homeostasis and autonomic cardiovascular function by insulin and adipocyte-derived hormone, leptin. Specifically, we are focused at understanding the exact role of the different downstream pathways associated with the insulin and leptin receptors in the regulation of the physiological cues. For these studies, we rely on mouse models that have deletion is specific intracellular signaling pathways. We also use the Cre-LoxP technology to target specific areas in the brain to delineate the neuronal architectural network that control metabolism and autonomic cardiovascular function. Disease mechanisms are investigated in animal models of obesity and diabetes such as diet-induced obesity, but also rare monogenic models including mouse models of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome that mimic the human disorders. The study of monogenic models allow us to elucidate how basic cell biological mechanisms conserved in all organisms (i.e. intracellular transport and cilia function) and complex phenotypes (such as obesity and hypertension) that result when these mechanisms are perturbed.

Current Positions

  • Professor of Neuroscience and Pharmacology
  • Professor of Internal Medicine
  • Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center Chair

Education

  • BS in Biochemistry, University of Science and Technology, Algiers, Algeria
  • MS in Pharmacology, Pharmacochemistry, University of Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France
  • PhD in Pharmacology, University of Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Iowa, Department of Internal Medicine

Graduate Program Affiliations

Center, Program and Institute Affiliations

Research Interests

  • Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Neural Control of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Functions:
  • My research seeks to understand the fundamental biological events that control metabolism, cardiovascular function and activity of the autonomic nervous system. I am especially focused on identifying the cellular and molecular pathways that underlie metabolic, autonomic and cardiovascular regulation. Studies in the laboratory are also directed towards uncovering how these pathways are dysregulated in disease conditions such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. My lab uses multidisciplinary approaches including basic genetic, molecular and cellular research tools, state-of-the art animal models and sophisticated physiological techniques including direct recording of efferent and afferent sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve activity that allow us to address physiological questions at the molecular level. Our work has led to the identification of new molecular pathways particularly within the central nervous system and defined their role in physiological regulation. We also made significant advances in dissecting the biological underpinnings of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders associated with common forms of obesity as well as with mendelian human disorders such as Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. The unique ability of my lab to collaborate with various groups at the University of Iowa as well as at the National and International levels including with Dr. Kavaljit Chhabra has been very rewarding, allowing us to make substantial contributions to the highly important area of neuroendocrinology of metabolic disorders, obesity and cardiovascular disease as summarized below:
  • Role of Cilia-Related Protein in Metabolic and Cardiovascular Regulation:

Selected Publications

  • Rouabhi, M., Guo, D. F., Morgan, D. A., Zhu, Z., López, M., Zingman, L., Grobe, J. L. & Rahmouni, K. (2021). BBSome Ablation in SF1 Neurons Causes Obesity without the Comorbidities. Molecular metabolism 101211. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2021.101211. PMID: 33722691.
  • Reho, J. J., Guo, D. F., Morgan, D. A. & Rahmouni, K. (2021). mTORC1 (Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1) Signaling in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells Is Required for Vascular Function. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) 77 (2) 594-604. DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.14708. PMID: 33356400.
  • de Souza Cordeiro, L. M., Elsheikh, A., Devisetty, N., Morgan, D. A., Ebert, S. N., Rahmouni, K. & Chhabra, K. H. (2021). Hypothalamic MC4R regulates glucose homeostasis through adrenaline-mediated control of glucose reabsorption via renal GLUT2 in mice. Diabetologia 64 (1) 181-194. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-020-05289-z. PMID: 33052459. PMCID: PMC7718429.
  • Seoane-Collazo, P., Diéguez, C., Nogueiras, R., Rahmouni, K., Manuel Fernández-Real, J. & López L, L. (2021). Nicotine’ actions on energy balance: friend or foe?. Pharmacology & Therapeutics 219 107693. DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00091.2017. PMID: 28794102.
  • Gruber, T., Pan, C., Contreras, R. E., Wiedemann, T., Morgan, D. A., Skowronski, A., Lefort, S., De Bernadis Murat, C., Le Thuc, O., Lequtko, B., Ruiz-Ojeda, F. J., Fuente-Fernández, M., García-Villalón, A. L., González-Hedström, D., Huber, M., Kuspers, I., Joris, P. J., Stehouwer, C., Müller, T. D., Ussar, S., Pfluger, P. T., Woods, S. C., Ertürk, A., Yi, C. X., LeDuc, C., Rahmouni, K., Granado, M., Horvath, T. L., Tschöp, M. H. & García-Cáceres, C. (In Press). Obesity-induced hypertension is driven by hypothalamic HIF-1α/VEGF signaling. Cell Metabolism.
  • Wu, J., Agbor, L. N., Fang, S., Mukohda, M., Nair, A. R., Nakagawa, P., Sharma, A., Morgan, D. A., Grobe, J. L., Rahmouni, K., Weiss, R. M., McCormick, J. A. & Sigmund, C. D. (2021). Failure to vasodilate in response to salt loading blunts renal blood flow and causes salt-sensitive hypertension. Cardiovascular research 117 (1) 308-319. DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa147. PMID: 32428209. PMCID: PMC7797211.
  • Carter, C. S., Huang, S. C., Searby, C. C., Cassaidy, B., Miller, M. J., Grzesik, W. J., Piorczynski, T. B., Pak, T. K., Walsh, S. A., Acevedo, M., Zhang, Q., Mapuskar, K. A., Milne, G. L., Hinton, Jr, A. O., Guo, D. F., Weiss, R., Bradberry, K., Taylor, E. B., Rauckhorst, A. J., Dick, D. W., Akurathi, V., Falls-Hubert, K. C., Wagner, B. A., Carter, W. A., Wang, K., Norris, A. W., Rahmouni, K., Buettner, G. R., Hansen, J. M., Spitz, D. R., Abel, E. D. & Sheffield, V. C. (2020). Exposure to Static Magnetic and Electric Fields Treats Type 2 Diabetes. Cell metabolism 32 (6) 1076. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.11.001. PMID: 33264599.
  • Jiang, J., Morgan, D. A., Cui, H. & Rahmouni, K. (2020). Activation of hypothalamic AgRP and POMC neurons evokes disparate sympathetic and cardiovascular responses. American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology 319 (5) H1069-H1077. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00411.2020. PMID: 32946297. PMCID: PMC7789969.
  • Ye, Y., Abu El Haija, M., Morgan, D. A., Guo, D., Song, Y., Frank, A., Tian, L., Riedl, R. A., Burnett CML, Gao, Z., Zhu, Z., Shahi, S. K., Zarei, K., Couvelard, A., Poté, N., Ribeiro-Parenti, L., Bado, A., Noureddine, L., Bellizzi, A., Kievit, P., Mangalam, A. K., Zingman, L. V., Le Gall, M., Grobe, J. L., Kaplan, L. M., Clegg, D., Rahmouni, K. & Mokadem, M. (2020). Endocannabinoid Receptor-1 and Sympathetic Nervous System Mediate the Beneficial Metabolic Effects of Gastric Bypass. Cell reports 33 (4) 108270. DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108270. PMID: 33113371. PMCID: PMC7660289.
  • Deng, G., Morselli, L. L., Wagner, V. A., Balapattabi, K., Sapouckey, S. A., Knudtson, K. L., Rahmouni, K., Cui, H., Sigmund, C. D., Kwitek, A. E. & Grobe, J. L. (2020). Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing of the Hypothalamic Arcuate Nucleus of C57BL/6J Mice After Prolonged Diet-Induced Obesity. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979) 76 (2) 589-597. DOI: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.15137. PMID: 32507042. PMCID: PMC7347451.