Jiankang Liu
Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
Title: Targeting mitochondria for preventing and treating metabolic syndrome with natural compounds from food and nutrition
Biography
Biography: Jiankang Liu
Abstract
Insulin resistance is an important feature of metabolic syndrome such as type-2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. The underlying mechanisms of insulin resistance are still unclear. Mitochondrial dysfunction, including disorders of mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy and imbalance of redox system has been suggested to be involved in insulin resistance. Increasing evidence suggests that targeting mitochondria to protect mitochondrial function could prevent and ameliorate various diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction forming a unique field, i.e., mitochondrial medicine. In this presentation, I have summarized our recent studies with nutrients to target mitochondria by stimulating mitochondrial homeostasis to improve mitochondrial function and regulate redox balance for preventing and ameliorating metabolic syndrome. We have focused on natural compounds from food and nutrition including olive, bitter gourd and pomegranate to regulate mitochondrial biogenesis and degradation in cellular systems and in animal models. The in vitro and in vivo studies on the effects and mechanisms of mitochondrial targeting nutrients or their combinations may help us to understand the importance and mechanisms of mitochondrial remodeling and to develop mitochondria-targeting agents for preventing and treating obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.