Michael Kenneth McIntosh, Ph.D., R.D., L.S.
Keker Excellence Professor
336/256-0325; Email mkmcinto@uncg.edu
The long-term goal of Dr. Michael McIntosh's research group is to develop dietary strategies to control human obesity, the most common nutritional disease in America. His group's research seeks to provide a dietary approach instead of a drug approach to obesity management. Reductions in health problems and financial costs related to obesity would be expected.
The research, which utilizes human fat cells grown in culture as a cell model, focuses on two areas: 1) how increased body fat promotes insulin resistance observed in tpe 2 diabetes, and 2) identification of the mechanism(s) by which certain fatty acids and polyphenols affect cell signaling and the expression of genes and proteins that regulate fat cell maturation, metabolism, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
Fifty peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and eight book chapters have resulted from Dr. McIntosh's group's work. External funding totals more than $4 million, including grants from the National Institutes of Health and the US Department of Agriculture. Students working with his lab group have won national research competitions (American Society of Nutrition, EB), fellowships (NIH NRSA F31s, ASN), and travel awards (Keystone, FASEB-MARC).
Curriculum Vitae
Education
- Ph.D., University of Georgia, 1987- M.S., University of Alberta, 1983
Research Interest
- Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes:- How does increased adiposity promote inflammation and insulin resistance?
- What role do (pre)adipocytes, macrophages, and myotubes play in mediating inflammation and insulin resistance associated with obesity?
- Nutritional Regulation of Human Adipocytes and Cross-talk with Macrophages:
- How do saturated or trans fatty acids impact adipocyte gene/protein expression and metabolism, signaling, and insulin sensitivity?
- Mechanism(s) by which grape or wine powder extract or their bioactive components prevent inflammation and insulin resistance?
Current Research
(using macrophages, adipocytes, and myotubes as cell models)- Anti-obesity mechanism of CLA isomer.
- Anti-inflammatory role of bioactive components found in grapes and wine.
- Pro-inflammatory capacity of cells isolated from human adipose tissue.
Recent Publications
(*= graduate students, # = undergraduate students) Bumrungpert, A,* Kalpravidh, R., Chuang, C.*, Overman, A., Martinez, K., West, T., Kennedy, A.*, McIntosh, M. 2010. Xanthones from Mangosteen Inhibit Inflammation of Human Macrophages and in Human Adipocytes Exposed to Macrophage-conditioned Media. J. Nutr. 140: 842-847. Overman, A.*, Bumrungpert, K.*, Kennedy, A.*, Martinez, K*. Chuang, C.*, West, T., Jia, W. McIntosh , M. 2010. Polyphenol-rich grape extract attenuates inflammation in human macrophages and in human adipocytes exposed to macrophage-conditioned media. Int. J. Obesity 34: 800-808.Kennedy, A.*, Martinez, K.*, Schmidt, S.*, Mandrup, S., Lapoint, K. McIntosh, M. 2010. Anti-obesity Mechanisms of Action of Conjugated Linoleic Acid. J. Nutr. Biochem. 21: 171-179.
Kennedy, A.*, Martinez, K.*, Chung, S.*, LaPoint, K. West, T., Hopkins, R, Schmidt, S.*, Andersen,K., Mandrup, S., McIntosh, M. 2010. Inflammation and Insulin Resistance Induced by Trans-10, Cis-12 Conjugated Linoleic Acid are Dependent on Intracellular Calcium Levels in Primary Cultures of Human Adipocytes. J. Lipid Research 51: 1906-1917.
Martinez, K.*, Kennedy, A.*, West, T., Milatovic, D., Aschner, M., McIntosh, M. 2010. Trans-10, cis-12 Conjugated Linoleic Acid Promotes Inflammation to a Greater Extent in Human Adipocytes Compared to Preadipocytes. J. Biol. Chem. 285: 17701-17712.
Chuang, C-C. *, Bumrungpert, A.*, Kennedy, A.*, West. T., Dawson. B., McIntosh, M. 2010. Grape Powder Extract Attenuates Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Mediated Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Primary Cultures of Human Adipocytes J. Nutr. Biochem. 22: 89-94.
Chuang, C-C.*, Martinez, K.*, Xie, G., Kennedy, A.*, Bumrungpert, A.*, Overman, A.*, Jia, W., McIntosh, M. 2010. Quercetin is equally or more effective than resveratrol in attenuating tumor necrosis factor alpha-mediated inflammation and insulin resistance in primary human adipocytes. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 92: 1511-1522.
