Office: 210-567-0803
E-Mail: lux3@uthscsa.edu

Research Interests:

My laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms and neural circuits underlying obesity, eating disorders, and depression. Current research focuses on the role of the melanocortin system and adiposity hormone leptin in the control of appetite, mood, and emotion. Related research investigates functional interactions between melanocortin signaling, leptin signaling, and the stress system. Research strategies include transgenic mouse models, viral vector-mediated gene transfer, viral vector-mediated RNA interference, intra-nucleus microinjection, behavioral measurements, in vivo microdialysis, biochemical assays of protein phosphorylation, dual-labeling in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.

Selected Publications:

Garza JC, Guo M, Zhang W and Lu X-Y (2008). Leptin promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Journal of Biol Chem (in press).

Garza JC, Kim CS, Liu J, Zhang W, and Lu X-Y (2008). AAV-mediated knockdown of MC4R in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus promotes high-fat diet-induced hyperphagia and obesity. Journal of Endocrinology (in press).

Ryu KY, Garza JC, Lu X-Y, Barsh GS, Kopito RR (2008). Hypothalamic neurodegeneration and adult-onset obesity in mice lacking the Ubb polyubiquitin gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 105(10):4016-21.

Lu X-Y (2007). The leptin hypothesis of depression: A potential link between mood disorders and obesity? Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 7(6): 648-52.

Walker WP, Aradhya S, Hu CL, Shen S, Zhang W, Azarani A, Lu X-Y, Barsh GS, Gunn TM (2007). Genetic analysis of attractin homologs. Genesis, 45(12): 744-56.

Liu J, Garza J, Truong H, Henschel J, Zhang W, Lu X-Y (2007) The melanocortinergic pathway is rapidly recruited by emotional stress and contributes to stress-induced anorexia and anxiety-like behavior. Endocrinology, 148(11): 5531-40.

Paz J, Yao H, Lim HS, Lu X-Y, Zhang W (2007) The protective role of attractin in neurodegeneration. Neurobiol Aging, 28(9): 1446-1456.

Lu X-Y, Kim CS, Frazer A and Zhang W (2006). Leptin: a potential novel antidepressant. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 103(5):1593-1598.

Helmreich DL, Parfitt DB, Lu X-Y, Akil H and Watson SJ (2005). Relation between the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPTI) axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during repeated stress. Neuroendocrinology, 81:183-192.

Wei Q, Lu X-Y, Liu L, Schafer G, Shieh KR, Burke S, Robinson TE, Watson SI, Seasholtz AF, Akil H (2004) Glucocorticoid receptor overexpression in forebrain: A mouse model of increased emotional lability. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 101(32):11851-6.

Kaelin CB, Xu AW, Lu X-Y, Barsh GS (2004). Transcriptional regulation of Agouti-related protein (Agrp) in transgenic mice. Endocrinology, 145(12)5798-5806.

Lu X-Y, Barsh GS, Akil H, Watson SJ (2003) Interaction between alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and corticotropin-releasing hormone in the regulation of feeding and hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal responses. Journal of Neuroscience, 23(21):7863-7872.

He L, Lu X-Y, Jolly AF, Eldridge AG, Watson SJ, Jackson PK, Barsh GS, Gunn TM (2003). Spongiform encephalopathy caused by defects of an E3 ubiquitin ligase in mahoganoid mice. Science, 299:710-712.

Lu X-Y, Shieh KR, Kabbaj M, Barsh GS, Akil H, Watson SJ (2002) Diurnal rhythm of Agouti-related protein and its relation to corticosterone and food intake. Endocrinology, 143(10):3905-3915.

He L, Gunn TM, Bouley DM, Lu X-Y, Watson SJ, Duke-Cohan JS, Barsh GS (2001) A biochemical function for attractin (mahogany) in agouti-induced pigmentation and obesity. Nature Genetics, 27(1):40-47.

Lu X-Y (2001) Role of the central melanocortin signaling in eating disorders (review). Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 35(4):45-65.

Lu X-Y, Bagnol D, Burke S, Akil H, Watson SJ (2000) Differential expression and regulation of OX1 and OX2 orexin/hypocretin receptors in the brain upon fasting. Hormones and Behavior, 37(4):335-344.

Bagnol D*, Lu X-Y*, Kaelin D, Day HEW, Ollmann M, Gantz I, Akil H, Barsh GS, Watson SJ (1999) Anatomy of an endogenous antagonist: Relationship between agouti-related protein and proopiomelanocortin in brain. Journal of Neuroscience,19:RC26, 1-7. (*equally contributed).