We use adipocyte as a model system to bridge the understanding between biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology.
Our Research
In the long run, we hope to address fundamentally important questions of general biological significance by using adipocyte as a model system. Current research concerns the following aspects:
- Role of the mammalian adipocyte-specific protein CLSTN3B in lipid metabolism and sympathetic innervation of thermogenic adipocytes.
- Role of the mitochondrial outer membrane protein CEND1 in coupling mitochondrial ATP production and hexokinase 1 ATP consumption and the physiological significance in brown adipocytes and neurons.
- Biochemistry and physiological significance of lipid-metabolizing enzymes in nuclear receptor ligand production in adipose tissue and beyond.
- Novel components of mitoribosome biogenesis pathway.
Meet the Lab Members
Xing Zeng, PI
Dr. Zeng majored in the Biological Sciences in Tsinghua University as an undergraduate. He obtained his Ph.D. degree at Harvard University in the subject of Cell and Developmental Biology. As a postdoc fellow in Bruce Spiegelman’s lab at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, he discovered that a previously unannotated adipose-specific gene Clstn3β and an adipocyte-derived neurotrophic factor S100b contribute to proper innervation of thermogenic adipose tissue by sympathetic nerves. This work revealed novel gene and signaling pathways mediating the communication between adipocytes and the peripheral nervous system. Dr. Zeng was awarded HP scholarship and “Excellent Undergraduate” at Tsinghua University, Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad by the Chinese Ministry of Education, American Heart Association postdoctoral fellowship, Rita C. and William P. Clements, Jr. endowed scholar of UT Southwestern, and CPRIT grant for first time tenure-track faculty.
Phone: 214-645-6046
Featured Publications
CLSTN3B enhances adipocyte lipid droplet structure and function via endoplasmic reticulum contact. Zhang C, Ye M, Melikov K, Yang D, Dias do Vale G, McDonald J, Eckert K, Lin MJ, Zeng X. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Jan 21:2024.01.20.576491. doi: 10.1101/2024.01.20.576491. PMID: 38293096; PMCID: PMC10827225.
Innervation of thermogenic adipose tissue via a calsyntenin 3ß-S100b axis. Zeng X, Ye M, Resch JM, Jedrychowski MP, Hu B, Lowell BB, Ginty DD, Spiegelman BM, Nature 2019 05 569 7755 229-235
γδ T cells and adipocyte IL-17RC control fat innervation and thermogenesis. Hu B, Jin C, Zeng X, Resch JM, Jedrychowski MP, Yang Z, Desai BN, Banks AS, Lowell BB, Mathis D, Spiegelman BM, Nature 2020 02 578 7796 610-614
Crosstalk between KCNK3-Mediated Ion Current and Adrenergic Signaling Regulates Adipose Thermogenesis and Obesity. Chen Y, Zeng X, Huang X, Serag S, Woolf CJ, Spiegelman BM Cell 2017 Sep
Lysine-specific demethylase 1 promotes brown adipose tissue thermogenesis via repressing glucocorticoid activation. Zeng X, Jedrychowski MP, Chen Y, Serag S, Lavery GG, Gygi SP, Spiegelman BM, Genes Dev. 2016 08 30 16 1822-36
Synergistic blockade of mitotic exit by two chemical inhibitors of the APC/C.Sackton KL, Dimova N, Zeng X, Tian W, Zhang M, Sackton TB, Meaders J, Pfaff KL, Sigoillot F, Yu H, Luo X, King RW Nature 2014 Aug
A Smooth Muscle-Like Origin for Beige Adipocytes. Long JZ, Svensson KJ, Tsai L, Zeng X, Roh HC, Kong X, Rao RR, Lou J, Lokurkar I, Baur W, Castellot JJ, Rosen ED, Spiegelman BM Cell Metab. 2014 Apr
Ablation of PRDM16 and Beige Adipose Causes Metabolic Dysfunction and a Subcutaneous to Visceral Fat Switch. Cohen P, Levy JD, Zhang Y, Frontini A, Kolodin DP, Svensson KJ, Lo JC, Zeng X, Ye L, Khandekar MJ, Wu J, Gunawardana SC, Banks AS, Camporez JP, Jurczak MJ, Kajimura S, Piston DW, Mathis D, Cinti S, Shulman GI, Seale P, Spiegelman BM Cell 2014 Jan 156 1-2 304-16
An APC/C inhibitor stabilizes cyclin B1 by prematurely terminating ubiquitination. Zeng X, King RW, Nat. Chem. Biol. 2012 Feb 8 4 383-92
Pharmacologic inhibition of the anaphase-promoting complex induces a spindle checkpoint-dependent mitotic arrest in the absence of spindle damage. Zeng X, Sigoillot F, Gaur S, Choi S, Pfaff KL, Oh DC, Hathaway N, Dimova N, Cuny GD, King RW, Cancer Cell 2010 Oct 18 4 382-95
Join Our Lab
The Zeng Lab is accepting graduate rotation students and postdoctoral applicants. Please contact Dr. Zeng via email.
