RESEARCH INTEREST

My research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is characterized by an attenuated ability of peripheral target tissues to respond to insulin. Humoral factors such as leptin, adiponectin, resistin and TNF-alpha are implicated in regulation of insulin sensitivity. My lab is specifically interested in characterizing the molecular mechanisms of one such humoral factor, fetuin-A (also known as alpha2-HS glycoprotein, Gene symbol: AHSG or FETUA) in the regulation of insulin action. Fetuin-A is a phosphorylated glycoprotein, secreted by the liver into circulation. Fetuin-A interacts with the activated insulin receptor and inhibits insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity. We have shown that mice lacking fetuin-A demonstrate improved insulin sensitivity and resistance to diet-induced obesity. In humans, elevated serum fetuin-A concentrations have been shown to be associated with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and incident diabetes. Currently, our goal is to characterize the mechanism of action of fetuin-A, specifically the role of phosphorylation in insulin resistant conditions.

IN THE NEWS

Link to Community of Science Expertise Profile

Selected Publications

• Kaushik, SV, Plaisance, EP, Kim T, Huang E, Mahurin AJ, Grandjean PW, Mathews ST. Decreased serum fetuin-A concentrations are associated with lowering of triglycerides in niaspan-treated individuals with metabolic syndrome. Diabetes/Metabolism: Research and Reviews, 2009 (In Press)
  
  
• Mathews ST, Plaisance P, Kim T. Imaging systems for Westerns: Chemiluminescence vs. infrared detection. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2009 (In Press)
  
  
• Mathews ST, Kim T. Fetuin-A, a novel regulator of insulin action: Role in insulin resistance. In: Yao, EB (Ed.): Insulin Resistance: New Research, Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2009 (In Press)
  
  
• Davis J, Kim T, Mathews ST. The role of curcumin in insulin action and glucose metabolism. In: Martirosyan, DM (Ed.): Functional Foods for Chronic Diseases, Dallas, USA, Vol. III, 72-83, 2008; ISBN: 0-9767535-4-5, Library of Congress Control Number: 2007909262.
  
  
• Mathews ST, Rakhade S, Zhou X, Parker G, Coscina DV, Grunberger G (2006). Fetuin-null mice are protected against obesity and insulin resistance associated with aging. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 350: 437-443, 2006
  
  
• Leff T, Mathews ST, Camp HS. PPARg, the adipocyte and diabetes. Experimental Diabesity Research 5: 99-109, 2004
  
  
• Chu, AJ, Mathews ST. Poly-L-hisditine downregulates fibrinolysis. Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis 14: 627-632, 2003
  
  
• Chu AJ, Mathews ST. Anticoagulant potential of an antibody against factor VII. Journal of Surgical Research 114: 37-41, 2003
  
  
• Chu AJ, Rauci, M, Nwobi OI, Mathews ST, Beydoun S. Novel anticoagulant activity of polyamino acid offsets bacterial endotoxin-induced extrinsic hypercoagulation: Downregulation of monocytic tissue factor-dependent FVII activation. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology 42: 477-483, 2003
  
  
• Chu AJ, Beydoun S, Mathews ST, Hoang J.  Novel anticoagulant polyethylenamine suppresses blood coagulation: Inhibition of thrombin-catalyzed fibrin formation. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 415: 101-108, 2003
  
  
• Hegele RA, Cao H, Frankowski C, Mathews ST, Leff T: PPARG F388L, a transactivation-deficient mutant, in familial partial lipodystrophy. Diabetes 51: 3586-3590, 2002
  
  
• Mathews ST, Singh GP, Ranaletta M, Cintron VJ, Qiang X, Goustin AS, Jen K-LC, Charron MJ, Jahnen-Dechent W, Grunberger G: Improved insulin sensitivity and resistance to weight gain in mice null for the Ahsg gene. Diabetes 51: 2450-2458, 2002
  
  
• Chu AJ, Rauci M, Nwobi OI, Mathews ST, Beydoun S. Novel anticoagulant activity of polybrene: Inhibition of monocytic tissue factor hypercoagulation following bacterial endotoxin induction. Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis 13:  123-128, 2002
  
  
• Mathews ST, Deutsch DD, Iyer G, Hora N, Pati B, Marsh J and Grunberger G. a2-HS glycoprotein kinetics after acute myocardial infarction: Development of a sandwich ELISA using commercial antibodies. Clinica Chimica Acta 319: 27-34, 2002
  
  
• Grunberger G, Qiang X, Li Z-G, Mathews ST, Sbriessa D, Shisheva A, Sima AAF: Molecular basis for the insulinomimetic effects of C-peptide. Diabetologia 44: 1247-1257, 2001
  
  
• Mathews ST, Chellam N, Srinivas PR, Cintron V, Leon MA, Goustin AS, Grunberger G: a2-HSG, a specific and reversible inhibitor of insulin receptor autophosphorylation, interacts with the insulin receptor. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 164: 87-98, 2000
  
  

Current Course Information

NUFS 2000 – Nutrition and Health
NUFS 4997 – Honors Thesis
NUFS 7990 – Research and Thesis
NUFS 8970 – Advanced Topics in Nutrition
NUFS 8990 – Research and Dissertation