Positions
- Professor
-
Pediatrics
Nutrition
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States
- Secondary Professor
-
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas United States
Addresses
- Children's Nutrition Research Center (Office)
-
Room: CNRC-8066
Houston, TX 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-7199
yongx@bcm.edu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center (Lab)
-
Room: CNRC-8012
Houston, TX 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-0359
Education
- Fellowship at University Of Texas Southwestern Medical School
- Dallas, TX United States
- PhD from University of Alberta
- 10/2006 - Edmonton, Alberta Canada
- MSc from Tongji Medical University
- 06/2002 - Wuhan, China
- MD from Tongji Medial University
- 06/1999 - Wuhan, China
Professional Interests
- Brain control of feeding behavior, body weight, and glucose balance
Professional Statement
The goal of my research is to identify the novel neural circuits, neurotransmitters and intra-neuronal signals that are critical for coordinated control of body weight, feeding behavior, and glucose balance. We generate unique mouse models, using Cre-loxP/Flp-frt strategy, with genes of interest manipulated in specific populations of neurons at the time of choice. We use these models, in combination of the modern chemogenetics/optogenetics, electrophysiology and neurotracing approaches, to establish the physiological relevance of specific neural networks in the regulation of energy homeostasis, glucose balance and behaviors.Ongoing projects in the laboratory include:
(1) To identify the critical ER-expressing neurons and the downstream circuits that mediate estrogenic effects on body weight and glucose balance.
(2) To determine the roles of nuclear receptor co-activators in the hypothalamus in the context of obesity and diabetes.
(3) To reveal the mechanisms by which the central 5-HT neural circuits regulate feeding behavior.
Websites
Selected Publications
- Xu Y, Jones JE, Kohno D, Williams KW, Lee CE, Choi MJ, Anderson JG, Heisler LK, Zigman JM, Lowell BB and Elmquist JK "5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy homeostasis." Neuron. 2008 November 26; 60 (4): 582-9. Pubmed PMID: 19038216
- Xu Y, Berglund DE, Sohn JW, Holland WL, Chuang JC, Fukuda M, Rossi J, Williams KW, Jones JE, Zigman JM, Lowell BB, Scherer PE and Elmquist JK "5-HT2CRs expressed by pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate insulin sensitivity in liver." Nature Neuroscience. 2010 December 13; 13 (12): 1457-9. Pubmed PMID: 21037584
- Xu Y, Jones JE, Lauzon DA, Anderson JG, Balthasar N, Heisler LK, Zinn AR, Lowell BB and Elmquist JK "A serotonin and melanocortin circuit mediates D-fenfluramine anorexia." J Neurosci. 2010 November 3; 30 (44): 14630-4. Pubmed PMID: 21048120
- Marino JS, Xu Y, Hill JW "Central insulin and leptin-mediated autonomic control of glucose homeostasis." Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2011 July ; 22 (7): 275-85. Pubmed PMID: 21489811
- Tong Q and Xu Y "Central leptin regulation of obesity and fertility." Curr Obes Rep. 2012 December 1; 1 (4): 236-244. Pubmed PMID: 23243628
- Xu Y, Elmquist JK, Fukuda M "Central nervous control of energy and glucose balance: focus on the central melanocortin system.." Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2011 December ; 1243 (1): 1-14. Pubmed PMID: 22211889
- Xu Y, Faulkner LD, Hill JW "Cross-talk between metabolism and reproduction: the tole of POMC and SF1 neurons.." Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2012 January 4; 2 : 98. Pubmed PMID: 22649394
- Hill JW, Elias CF, Fukuda M, Cho YR, Chuang JC, Xu Y, Choi MJ, Balthasar N, Coppari R, Scherer PE, Brüning JC, Lowell BB, Elmquist JK "Direct insulin and leptin action in pro-opiomelanocortin neurons is required for normal glucose homeostasis and fertility." Cell Metab. 2010 April 7; 11 (4): 286-97. Pubmed PMID: 20374961
- Xu Y, Nedungadi TP, Zhu L, Sobhani N, Irani BG, Davis KE, Zhang X, Zou F, Gent LM, Hahner LD, Khan SA, Elias CF, Elmquist JK, Clegg DJ "Distinct hypothalamic neurons mediate estrogenic effects on energy homeostasis and reproduction.." Cell Metab. 2011 October 5; 14 (4): 453-65. Pubmed PMID: 21982706
- Xu P, Cao X, He Y, Zhu L, Yang Y, Saito K, Wang C, Yan X, Hinton A, Zou F, Ding H, Xia Y, Yan C, Wu SP, Yang B, Feng Y, Clegg DJ, DiMarchi R, Khan SA, Tsai SY, DeMayo FJ, Wu Q, Tong Q, Xu Y "Estrogen receptor-α in medial amygdala neurons regulates body weight." The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2015 July 1; 125 (7): 2861-76. Pubmed PMID: 26098212
- Zhu L, Zou F, Yang Y, Xu P, Saito K, Hinton A, 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. 2015 June ; 156 (6): 2114-2123. Pubmed PMID: 25807042
- Cao X, Xu P, Oyola MG, Xia Y, Yan X, Saito K, Zou F, Wang C, Yang Y, Hinton Jr. A, 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. 2014 August 26; : Pubmed PMID: 25157819
- Wu Z, Kim ER, Sun H, Xu Y, Mangieri LR, Li DP, Pan HL, Xu Y, Arenkiel BR, Tong Q "GABAergic projections from lateral hypothalamus to paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus promote feeding." The Journal of Neuroscience. 2015 February ; 35 (8): 3312-3318. Pubmed PMID: 25716832
- Xu Y, Wu Z, Sun H, Zhu Y, Kim ER, Lowell BB, Arenkiel BR, Xu Y and Tong Q "Glutamate mediates the function of melanocortin receptors 4 on Sim1 neurons in body weight regulation." Cell Metab. 2013 December 3; 18 (6): 860-70. Pubmed PMID: 24315371
- Yan, C, Yang Y, Saito K, Xu P, Wang C, Hinton A, Yan X, Wu Q, Sun Z, Tong Q, Elmquist JK, Fukuda M, Xu Y "Meta-Chlorophenylpiperazine enhances leptin sensitivity in diet-induced obese mice." British Journal of Pharmacology. 2015 March ; : Pubmed PMID: 25817043
- Hill JW, Xu Y (joint first author), Preitner F, Fukuda M, Cho YR, Luo L, Balthasar N, Coppari R, Cantley LC, Kahn BB, Zhao JJ, Elmquist JK "Phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase signaling in hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin neurons contributes to the regulation of glucose homeostasis." Endocrinology. 2009 November ; 150 (11): 4874-82. Pubmed PMID: 19819947
- Xu Y, Hill JW, Gautron L, Lee CE, Choi MJ, Dhillon H, Lowell BB, Zigman JM, Zhao JJ and Elmquist JK "PI3K signalling in ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus is required for normal energy homeostasis." Cell Metab. 2010 July 7; 12 (1): 88-95. Pubmed PMID: 20620998
- Saito K, Cao X, He Y, Xu Y "Progress in the molecular understanding of central regulation of body weight by estrogens." Obesity. 2015 May ; 23 (5): 919-926. Pubmed PMID: 25865677
- Sohn JW, Xu Y, Jones JE, Wickman K, Williams KW, Elmquist JK "Serotonin 2C receptor activates a distinct population of arcuate nucleus pro-opiomelanocortin neurons via TRPC channels." Neuron. 2011 August 11; 71 (3): 488-97. Pubmed PMID: 21835345
- Berglund ED, Liu C, Sohn JW, Liu T, Kim MH, Lee CE, Vianna CR, Williams, KW, Xu Y(corresponding author), Elmquist JK "Serotonin 2C receptors in pro-opiomelanocortin neurons regulate energy and glucose homeostasis." J Clin Invest. 2013 December 2; 123 (12): 5061-70. Pubmed PMID: 24177424
- Kim KW, Sohn JW, Kohno D, Xu Y, Williams K, Elmquist JK "SF-1 in the ventral medial hypothalamic nucleus: A key regulator of homeostasis." Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2011 April 10; 336 (1): 219-23. Pubmed PMID: 21111025
- Zhu L, Yang Y, Xu P, Zou F, Yan X, Liao L, Xu J, O'Malley BW, Xu Y "Steroid receptor coactivator-1 mediates estrogenic actions to prevent body weight gain in female mice.." Endocrinology. 2013 January ; 154 (1): 150-8. Pubmed PMID: 23211707
- Davis KE, Neinast MD, Sun K, Skiles WM, Dills JD, Zehr JA, Zeve D, Hahner LD, Cox DW, Gent LM, Xu Y, Wang ZV, Khan SA, Clegg DJ "The sexually dimorphic role of adipose and adipocyte estrogen receptors in modulating adipose tissue expansion, inflammation, and fibrosis." Mol Metab. 2013 June 4; 2 (3): 227-42. Pubmed PMID: 24049737
- Kim KW, Zhao L, Donata J , Khono D, Xu Y, Lee C, Parker K, Elmquist JK "Steroidogenic factor 1 directs programs regulating diet-induced thermogenesis and leptin action in the ventral medial hypothalamic nucleus." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 June 28; 108 (26): 10673-8. Pubmed PMID: 21636788
- Scott MM, Xu Y, Elias CF and Williams KW "Central regulation of food intake, body weight, energy expenditure, and glucose homeostasis.." Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2014 December 3; 8 : 384. Pubmed PMID: 25520610
- Zhu L, Xu P, Cao X, Yang Y, Hinton A, Xia Y, Saito K, Yan X, Zou F, Ding F, 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 pro-opiomelanocortin progenitor neurons regulates feeding and glucose balance in female mice.." Endocrinology. 2015 :
- Meng F, Han Y, Srisai D, Belakhov V, Farias M, Xu Y, Palmiter RD, Baasov T, Wu Q "A new inducible genetic method reveals critical roles of GABA in the control of feeding and metabolism." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 March 29; 113 (13): 3645-50. Pubmed PMID: 26976589
- Hinton A, He Y, Xia Y, Xu P, Yang Y, Saito K, Wang C, Yan X, Shu G, Henderson A, Clegg DJ, Khan SA, Reynolds C, Wu Q, Tong Q, Xu Y "Estrogen receptor-α in the medial amygdala prevents stress-induced elevations in blood pressure in females." Hypertension (in press). 2016 :
- Xu Y, Chang JT, Myers Jr. MG, Xu Y, Tong Q "Euglycemia restoration by central leptin in Type 1 diabetes requires STAT3 signaling but not fast-acting neurotransmitter release." Diabetes. 2016 January 28; : Pubmed PMID: 26822087
- Saito K, He Y, Yan X, Yang Y, Wang C, Xu P, Hinton Jr. A, Shu G, Yu L, Tong Q, Xu Y "Visualizing estrogen receptor-α-expressing neurons using a new ERα-ZsGreen reporter mouse line." Metabolism. 2016 April ; 65 (4): 522-32. Pubmed PMID: 26975544
- Duerrschmid C, He Y, Wang C, Li C, Bournat J, Romere C, Saha PK, Phillps KJ, Jain P, Farias M, Wu Q, Milewicz DM, Suton VR, Moore DD, Butte NF, Krashes MJ, Xu Y (corresponding author), Chopra AR. "Asprosin is a centrally-acting orexigenic hormone.." Nat Med (in press). 2017 :
- Bai J, Cervantes, C, Liu J, He S, Zhou H, Zhang B, Cai H, Yin D, Hu D, Li Z, Chen H, Gao X, Wang F, O’Connor JC, Xu Y, Liu M, Dong LQ, Liu F. "DsbA-L prevents obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance by suppressing mtDNA release-activated cGAS-cGAMP-STING pathway." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. :
- Zhu C, Xu P, He Y, Yuan Y, Wang T, Cai X, Yu L, Yang L, Wu J, Wang L, Zhu X, Wang S, Gao P, Xi Q, Zhang Y, Xu Y (corresponding author), Jiang Q, Shu G. "Heparin increases food intake through AgRP neurons.." Cell Reports. 2017 September ; 20 (10): 2455-2467. Pubmed PMID: 28877477
- Xu Y, Lu Y, Xu P, Mangieri LR, Isingrini E, Xu Y, Giros B, Tong Q. "VMAT2-Mediated Neurotransmission from Midbrain Leptin Receptor Neurons in Feeding Regulation.." eNeuro. 2017 May ; : Pubmed PMID: 28560316
- Xu Y (corresponding author), O’Malley BW, Elmquist JK. "Brain nuclear receptors and body weight regulation.." The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2017 April ; 127 (4): 1172-1180. Pubmed PMID: 28218618
- Xu P, Zhu L, Saito K, Yang Y, Wang C, He Y, Xia Y, Hyseni Ilirjana, Tong Q, Xu Y. "Melanocortin 4 receptor is not required for estrogenic regulations on energy homeostasis and reproduction.." Metabolism. 2017 May ; 70 : 152-159.
- Hinton AO Jr, Yang Y, Quick AP, Xu P, Reddy CL, Yan X, Reynolds CL, Tong Q, Zhu L, Xu J, Wehrens XH, Xu Y, Reddy AK. "SRC-1 regulates blood pressure and aortic stiffness in female mice.." Plos One. 2016 December ; :
- He Y, Shu G, Xu P, Yang Y, Xia Y, Wang C, Saito K, Hinton A, Yan X, Liu C, Wu Q, Tong Q, Xu Y. "A small potassium current in AgRP/NPY neurons regulates feeding behavior and energy metabolism.." Cell Reports. 2016 November ; 17 (1807-1818):
- Qu N, He Y, Wang C, Xu P, Yang Y, Cai X, Liu H, Yu K, Pei Z, Hyseni I, Sun Z, Fukuda M, Li Y, Tian Q, Xu Y "A POMC-originated circuit regulates stress-induced hypophagia, depression and anhedonia." Molecular Psychiatry. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 31485012
- Xu Y, Lu Y, Cassidy R, Mangieri L, Zhu C, Huang X, Jiang Z, Justice N, Xu Y, Arenkiel B, and Tong Q "Identification of a neurociruit underlying regulation of feeding by stress-related emotional responses." Nature Communications. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 31371721
- Kaneko K, Fu Y, Lin H, Cordonier EL, Mo Q, Gao Y, Yao T, Naylor J, Howard V, Saito K, Xu P, Chen SS, Chen M, Xu Y, Williams KW, Ravn P, and Fukuda M "Gut-derived GIP activates central Rap1 to impair neural leptin sensitivity during overnutrition." The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 31403469
- Mangieri L, Jiang Z, Lu Y, Xu Y, Cassidy R, Justice N, Xu Y, Arenkiel B, Tong Q "Defensive behaviors driven by a hypothalamic-ventral midbrain circuit." eNeuro. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 31331938
- Zhou W, He Y, Rehman AU, Kong Y, Hong S, Ding G, Yalamanchili HK, Wan YW, Paul B, Wang C, Gong Y, Zhou W, Liu H, Dean J, Scalais E, O’Driscoll M, Morton J, Hou X, Wu Q, Tong Q, Liu Z, Liu P, Xu Y (co-corresponding author), and Zheng Sun "NCOR1/2 loss of function impairs memory through a novel GABAergic hypothalamus–CA3 projection." Nature Neuroscience. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 30664766
- Wang C and Xu Y "Mechanisms for sex differences in energy homeostasis." Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 31130779
- Yang Y, van der Klaauw AA, Zhu L, Cacciottolo TM, He Y, Stadler L, Yan X, Keogh JM, Henning E, Banton MC, Hendricks AE, Bochukova EG, Mistry V, Lawler KL, Liao L, Xu J, O’Rahilly S, Tong Q, UK10K consortium, Barroso I, O’Malley BW, Farooqi IS, Xu Y "Steroid Receptor Coactivator-1 Modulates the Function of Pomc Neurons and Energy Homeostasis." Nature Communications. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 30979869
- Yan H, Yang W, Zhou F, Li X, Pan Q, Shen Z, Han G, Newell-Fugate A, Tian Y, Majeti R, Liu W, Xu Y, Wu C, Allred K, Allred C, Sun Y and Guo S "Estrogen improves insulin sensitivity and suppresses gluconeogenesis via the transcription factor Foxo1." Diabetes. 2019 : Pubmed PMID: 30487265
- Mangieri L, Lu Y, Xu Y, Cassidy R, Xu Y, Arenkiel B, and Tong Q "A Neural Basis for Antagonistic Control of Feeding and Compulsive Behaviors." Nature Communications. 2018 :
- Xu Y, Lopez M "Central regulation of energy metabolism by estrogens." Molecular Metabolism. 2018 : Pubmed PMID: 29886181
- Zhang P, Kuang H, He Y, Idiga SO, Li S, Chen Z, Yang Z, Cai X, Zhang K, Potthoff MJ, Xu Y, Lin J "NRG1-Fc improves metabolic health via dual hepatic and central action." JCI Insight. 2018 :
- Yu S, Cheng H, François M, Qualls-Creekmore E, Huesing C, He Y, Jiang Y, Gao H, Xu Y, Zsombok A, Derbenev AV, Nillni EA, Burk DH, Morrison CD, Berthoud HR, Münzberg H "Preoptic leptin signaling modulates energy balance independent of body temperature regulation." Elife. 2018 : Pubmed PMID: 29761783
- Wang C, He Y, Xu P, Yang Y, Saito K, Xia Y, Yan X, Hinton A, Yan C, Ding H, Yu L, Shu G, Gupta R, Wu Q, Tong Q, Lagor WR, Flores ER and Xu Y "TAp63 contributes to sexual dimorphism in POMC neuron functions and energy homeostasis." Nature Communica. 2018 : Pubmed PMID: 29670083
- Teixeira S, Harrison K, Uzodike M, Rajapakshe K, Coarfa C, He Y, Xu Y, Sisley S "Vitamin D actions in neurons require the PI3K pathway for both enhancing insulin signaling and rapid depolarizing effects." Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2020 :
- Wooton-Kee CR, Robertson M, Zhou Y, Dong B, Sun Z, Kim KH, Liu H, Xu Y, Putluri N, Saha P, Coarfa C, Moore DD, and Nuotio-Antar AM "Metabolic dysregulation in the Atp7b−/− Wilson’s disease mouse model." PNAS. 2020 :
- He Y, Xu P, Wang C, Xia Y, Yu M, Yang Y, Yu K, Cai X, Qu N, Saito K, Wang J, Hyseni I, Robertson M, Piyarathna B, Gao M, Khan SA, Liu F, Chen R, Coarfa C, Zhao Z, Tong Q, Sun Z, Xu Y "Estrogen receptor-α expressing neurons in the ventrolateral VMH regulate glucose balance." Nature Communications. 2020 :
- Zhu C, Xu Y, Jiang Z, Tian JB, Cassidy RM, Cai Z, Shu G, Xu Y, Xue M, Arenkiel BR, Jiang Q and Tong Q "Disrupted hypothalamic CRH neuron responsiveness contributes to diet-induced obesity." EMBO Reports. 2020 :
- Yu K, He Y, Hyseni I, Pei Z, Yang Y, Xu P, Cai X, Liu H, Qu N, Liu H, He Y, Yu M, Liang C, Yang T, Wang J, Gourdy P, Arnal JF, Lenfant F, Xu Y (co-corresponding) and Wang C "17β-estradiol promotes acute refeeding in hungry mice by membrane-initiated ERα signaling." Molecular Metabolism. 2020 July 23; 42 : 101053. Pubmed PMID: 32712433
- Sun Z and Xu Y "Nuclear Receptor Coactivators (NCOAs) and Corepressors (NCORs) in the Brain." Endocrinology. 2020 August 1; 161 (8): bqaa083. Pubmed PMID: 32449767
- Kim ER, Xu Y, Cassidy RM, Lu Y, Yang Y, Tian J, Li DP, Drunen RV, Ribas-Latre A, Cai ZL, Xuee M, Arenkiel BR, Eckel-Mahan K, Xu Y, Tong Q "Paraventricular hypothalamus mediates diurnal rhythm of metabolism." Nature Communications. 2020 July 30; 11 : 3794. Pubmed PMID: 32732906
- Zhu C, Jiang Z, Xu Y, Cai ZL, Jiang Q, Xu Y, Xue M, Arenkiel RB, Wu Q, Shu G and Tong Q "Profound and Redundant Functions of Arcuate Neurons in Obesity Development." Nature Metabolism. 2020 August 2; 2 (8): 763-774. Pubmed PMID: 32719538
- Yan C, He Y, Xu Y, Shu G, Wang C, Yang Y, Saito K, Xu P, Hinton A, 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. 2015 August 25; : Pubmed PMID: 26337236
Funding
- Brain steroid receptor coactivators and energy homeostasis - #P01 DK113954
- $1,000,000.00 (07/01/2018 - 06/30/2019) Grant funding from NIH
- Neurobiology for the sex differences in energy balance - #R01 DK117281
- $1,250,000.00 (04/01/2018 - 03/31/2023) Grant funding from NIH
- Hypothalamic Grb10 and body weight - #R01 DK115761
- $630,488.00 (09/01/2018 - 08/31/2022) Grant funding from NIH
- 5-HT Neurons Integrate Neural Inputs to Regulate Food Intake - #R01 DK120858
- $1,734,229.00 (09/15/2020 - 06/30/2024) Grant funding from NIH
- The goal of this project is to advance our understanding about the physiological roles of brain 5-HT system in the regulation of feeding and energy balance.
- Brain Estrogen Regulates Energy and Glucose Balance - #R01 DK125480
- $1,613,058.00 (09/15/2020 - 06/30/2024) Grant funding from NIH
- The goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that E2-sensitive ERα neurons in the vlVMH detect nutritional/glycemic fluctuations, and recruit multiple downstream neural circuits to maintain energy and glucose homeostasis
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