Endocrine & Metabolic Bone Disorders

David D'alessio

David D'alessio, MD

Internal Medicine-Endocrinology

Professor

Staff Physician

Research Summary

Dr. D’Alessio is an Associate Professor of Medicine, in the Division of Endocrinology, and holds the Albert Vontz chair in Diabetes Research. He joined the faculty at University of Cincinnati in 1999. Dr. D’Alessio has received national recognition for research on gastrointestinal hormones and the regulation of insulin secretion. He has published widely in this area, as well as in related aspects of energy metabolism and nutrition. Dr. D’Alessio is ABIM certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and attends the Diabetes and Endocrine clinics at University Hospital and the Cincinnati VA hospital. He is a member of the Endocrine Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and serves on the national council for the American Federation for Medical Research.

The primary focus of Dr. D’Alessio’s research is the regulation of insulin secretion and glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes, and specifically the influence of intestinal hormones on these processes. In addition, he has additional projects to investigate the actions of GI peptides to control food intake and body weight. Central themes that are common to all of this research is the interaction of ingested nutrients with endocrine signaling systems, and the interface between hormones and the nervous system. The overall goal of this work is to better understand the physiologic mechanisms underlying nutrient metabolism and apply this knowledge to the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Specific projects underway in Dr. D’Alessio’s lab include:

1) Regulation of insulin secretion by the gut-brain peptide glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) in healthy and diabetic humans. This project focuses on the role of GI hormones in mediating the insulin response after meals and how this response is impaired in diabetes. These studies are designed to compare rates of GLP-1 secretion in response to nutrients, the sensitivity to GLP-1 action , and insulin-independent effects of GLP-1 in diabetic and control subjects.

2) Regulation of food intake by GI hormones. This project is tied to a larger study of the mechanisms by which high-fat diets induce obesity. Experiments have been designed to elucidate how chronic changes in the lipid content of the diet affect the secretion of, and responsiveness to gut peptides that regulate satiety.

3) The mechanisms by which the GLP-1 suppresses food intake. This project evaluates the hypothesis that GLP-1 inhibits food intake as part of a broader spectrum of nausea and illness actions. Studies are designed to test the hypothesis that GLP-1 is a central mediator of many of the symptoms of general illness and thus may have a role in the response to many chronic diseases.

4) The synthesis, secretion and action of a novel peptide produced in the intestinal tract. This peptide was recently identified and isolated from the intestinal tract of mammals and has considerable homology to somatostatin, but appears to be the product of another gene. Studies in animals and humans have shown that this peptide is secreted in response to ingested nutrients, especially dietary fat, and that it appears to inhibit food intake. Studies are currently in progress to identify the gene producing this peptide, delineate the cells that produce it and determine its role in normal physiology.

Dr. D'Alessio joined the faculty at the University of Cincinnati in 1999. He has published widely in gastrointestinal hormones and the regulation of insulin secretion as well as in related aspects of energy metabolism and nutrition. He is ABIM certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and serves as an attending in the Diabetes and Endocrine subspecialty clinics at the Cincinnati VA Hospital. He is a member of the Endocrine Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Federation for Medical Research. Dr. D'Alessio is also a faculty member in the Pathobiology and Neuroscience programs at the University of Cincinnati.

Recent Publications

D'Alessio DA, Denney AM, Hermiller LM, Prigeon RL, Martin JM, Tharp WG, SaylanML, He Y, Dunning BE, Foley JE, Pratley RE. Treatment with the dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitor vildagliptin improves fasting islet-cell function insubjects with type 2 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Jan;94(1):81-8. Epub2008 Oct 28. PubMed PMID: 18957505; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2630874.

Brehm BJ, Lattin BL, Summer SS, Boback JA, Gilchrist GM, Jandacek RJ,D'Alessio DA. One-year comparison of a high-monounsaturated fat diet with ahigh-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009 Feb;32(2):215-20. Epub 2008 Oct 28. PubMed PMID: 18957534; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2628682. 

Woods SC, D'Alessio DA. Central control of body weight and appetite. J ClinEndocrinol Metab. 2008 Nov;93(11 Suppl 1):S37-50. Review. PubMed PMID: 18987269; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2585760. 

Brehm BJ, Lattin BL, Summer SS, Boback JA, Gilchrist GM, Jandacek RJ,D'Alessio DA. One-year comparison of a high-monounsaturated fat diet with ahigh-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2009 Feb;32(2):215-20. Epub 2008 Oct 28. PubMed PMID: 18957534; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2628682. 

Brehm BJ, D'Alessio DA. Benefits of high-protein weight loss diets: enoughevidence for practice? Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2008 Oct;15(5):416-21.Review. PubMed PMID: 18769212.

D'Alessio D. Intestinal hormones and regulation of satiety: the case for CCK, GLP-1, PYY, and Apo A-IV. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2008 Sep-Oct;32(5):567-8.Review. PubMed PMID: 18753394.

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