Autonomic Nervous System: Role in the Regulation of Peripheral Metabolism and Pathophysiology of Metabolic Disease

Event Details

Invitation to Participate

This meeting is open to the public, but space is limited.

Background

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a critical role in the regulation of physiological responses required for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Afferent fibers relay sensory and metabolic information to the central nervous system, while efferent fibers provide the major neural pathway from the brain to peripheral tissues. Activation or inhibition of organ-specific neural fibers can have profound effects on regulating such key metabolic processes as gluconeogenesis; lipolysis; and hormonal secretion in the liver, adipose tissue, intestine, and pancreas. Although new techniques in neuroscience and molecular genetics are being used to elucidate the neuroanatomy and function of the ANS, much remains unknown regarding the contribution of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems in the regulation of glucose and lipid homeostasis. Clinical research in this area is severely hampered by a paucity of tools and/or methodologies available to assess tissue-specific autonomic function or dysfunction. Overall, the role of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems in the etiology and pathophysiology of metabolic diseases remains a scientific area ripe for development.

Objectives

• Increase attendees’ foundational knowledge of the role of the ANS in peripheral metabolism and metabolic disease.
• Foster interaction between basic and clinical scientists with expertise in metabolism and neuroscience.
• Discuss the limitations of technologies/methodologies for measurement of tissue-specific activity and function in humans.
• Build on the Common Fund–supported program “Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions” to expand the focus to metabolic disease.
• Identify research gaps in basic and clinical science.

Organizing Committee

External Members

Hans-Rudi Berthoud, Ph.D.
Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Gavin Lambert, Ph.D., FAHA
Director, Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology

Internal Members

Karen Teff, Ph.D.
Program Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute

James Hyde, Ph.D.
Program Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases, NIDDK, NIH

Registration Deadline

September 13, 2018

Agenda

September 20, 2018

8:00 a.m. – 8:05 a.m.

Welcome
Gregory Germino, M.D., Deputy Director, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

8:05 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.

Introduction and Objectives of the Workshop
Karen Teff, Ph.D., Program Director, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, NIDDK, NIH

Session 1: Overview of the Role of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) in Peripheral Metabolism

Moderator: Karen Teff, Ph.D.

8:10 a.m. – 8:35 a.m.

Overview of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) and Metabolic Diseases
Gavin Lambert, Ph.D., FAHA, Director, Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology

8:35 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Overview of Vagal Mechanisms in Metabolic Diseases
Hans-Rudi Berthoud, Ph.D., Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center

Session 2: Sensory and Autonomic Pathways of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Moderator: Patricia Greenwel, Ph.D., Program Director, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, NIDDK, NIH

9:00 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.

Vagal Afferents in the Stomach Have “Smart” Terminal Architecture Integrating Inputs and Organizing Vagovagal Reflexes
Terry Powley, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University

9:25 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.

Vagal Innervation of the Stomach
Kirsteen Browning, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University

9:40 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Nutrient-Induced Vagal Afferent Plasticity
Guillaume de Lartigue, Ph.D., Assistant Fellow and Assistant Professor, John B. Pierce Laboratory; Assistant Professor, Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale Medical School

10:00 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

Systems Dynamics Modeling of Multiorgan Networks
Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University

10:20 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Break

11:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.

Influence of Gut Lumenal Factors on Vagal Afferent Nerve Function
Helen Raybould, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, University of California, Davis

11:25 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Molecular Mechanisms in Bioelectronic Medicine: From the Lab to the Clinic
Kevin J. Tracey, M.D., Professor, Department of Neurosurgery and Molecular Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

11:50 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Posters and Lunch

Session 3: Autonomic Contribution to Glucose Homeostasis

Moderator: Jim Hyde, Ph.D., Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, NIDDK, NIH

1:30 p.m. – 1:55 p.m.

Autonomic Innervation of the Pancreas
Alejandro Caicedo, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Miami

1:55 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.

Control of Insulin Secretion and Glucose Metabolism by the ANS
David D’Alessio, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, Duke University

2:20 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Evidence of a Central Role for the Brain in the Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes
Michael Schwartz, M.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Washington

2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Discrepancies and Reconciliation of Rodent and Human Neuroanatomy and Physiology
Moderator: Jim Hyde, Ph.D.

3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Break

Session 4: Autonomic Contribution to Hepatic Metabolism and Liver Disease

Moderator and Discussant: Gary Schwartz, Ph.D., Professor, Departments of Medicine and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

3:45 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.

MicroRNAs in Cholinergic Signaling, Fatty Liver Disease, and Metabolic Risk
Hermona Soreq, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

4:10 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Debate: Does the ANS Play a Role in the Regulation of Hepatic Glucose Metabolism?
Pro: Joel Elmquist, D.V.M., Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Con: Alan Cherrington, Ph.D., Professor, Departments of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and Medicine, Vanderbilt University

Session 5: Highlights of the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program

Gene Civillico, Ph.D., Program Manager, SPARC Program, Office of the Director, NIH

5:20 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Discussion and Wrap-up for Day 1

September 21, 2018

Session 6: The ANS in Metabolic Diseases

Moderator: Teresa Jones, M.D., Program Director, NIDDK, NIH

8:00 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.

Renal Denervation, ANS, and Metabolic Responses
Marcus Schlaich, M.D., FAHA, FESC, Professor, Department of Medicine, The University of Western Australia

8:25 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.

Hypoglycemia, Hypoglycemia-Associated Autonomic Failure (HAAF), and Counterregulatory Responses in Type 1 Diabetes
Michael Rickels, M.D., M.S., Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

8:50 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

Autonomic Neuropathy in Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
Rodica Pop-Busui, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Internal Medicine, Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan

9:15 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.

Gender Differences in Autonomic Control
Qi Fu, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas

9:40 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.

Break

Session 7: Autonomic Contribution to Adipose Tissue and Lipid Metabolism

Moderator and Discussant: Lori Zeltser, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University

10:10 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.

New Approaches to Study Brown Fat Innervation
Heike Muenzberg, Ph.D., Professor, Pennington Biomedical Research Center

10:35 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.

Brown Fat Measurement in Humans by Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography
Aaron Cypess, M.D., Ph.D., M.M.Sc., Investigator, Translational Physiology Section, NIDDK, NIH

10:55 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Deconstructing Adrenergic Control of Brown/Beige Adipogenesis in Vivo with Single-Cell Expression Profiling
James Granneman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Molecular Mechanism and Genetics, Wayne State University

11:15 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Beiging of White Adipose by the SNS
Bing Zhong Xue, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Biology, Georgia State University

11:35 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Highlights and Discussion

12:00 p.m.

Adjournment