Overview
The primary goal of the Natarajan Lab is to elucidate the cytoprotective roles of dietary nutrients in combating against placental complications that can occur during pregnancy such as Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, Zika virus infection, and maternal obesity.
Cytoprotection is a process by which chemical compounds provide protection to cells against harmful agents. Through our research, we have identified palmitoleate, an omega-7 monosaturated fatty acid as a cytoprotective nutrient. Foods such as macadamia nuts contain high levels of palmitoleate which can be used as a potential dietary therapy against placental complications as well as a preventative measure against the adverse consequence of placental damage to unborn babies.
Our long term goals:
- Develop a nutraceutical approach to mitigate liver and placental lipotoxicity that occurs during acute fatty liver of pregnancy and maternal obesity, respectively
- Elucidating the protective role of dietary-palmitoleate supplementation in preventing against Zika virus-induced placenta and fetal brain infection
Lab Members
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Anthony Delaney, Research Technologist IIadelaney2@unl.edu |
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Chandan Krishnamoorthyckrishnamoorthy2@huskers.unl.edu Research: Zika virus and West Nile virus induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis to neuronal cells.
Chandan gave an oral presentation on his Zika virus work in the First Annual meeting of the Child Health Research Institute held at the University of Nebraska-Omaha in November 2022. |
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Aiswariya Raviar2@huskers.unl.edu Research: Elucidating the role of HADHA in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, cardiolipin synthesis, and super complex formation in trophoblasts, hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes. |
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Prakash Kumar Sahoopsahoo2@unl.edu Research: Elucidating the signaling mechanism of saturated free fatty acid-induced cellular stress response and the protective role of palmitoleate. Prakash received two 2018 Best Poster Awards for his research on 3-hydroxy fatty acids induced placental trophoblast necroptosis: one at the Gilbert Greenwald Symposium held at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, KS and the second at the NPOD Symposium. In the Summer of 2023, Prakash graduated with his PhD and continues his work in the Natarajan lab as a postdoc. |
Former Lab Members
Taylor BruettUndergraduate Student Researcher2016 | Successfully obtained funding from UCARE for her work in the Natarajan Lab. |
Kathryn Hammer |
Currently applying to medical school and working in Sioux Falls, SD at a pediatric clinic. |
Madison KrausUndergraduate Student Researcher2018-19, 2019-20 |
Successfully obtained funding from UCARE for her work in the Natarajan Lab. Awarded the Milton Mohr Scholarship from the Center for Biotechnology from IANR at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2018 Received the Gates Center Summer internship to the University of Colorado Anschultz Medical Campus, 2019 |
Philma Glora Muthuraj |
Graduated with doctorate from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2021. Joined Veterinary Microbiology Residency Program at the University of Missouri-Columbia, August 2021. Received a travel grant to attend the Gilbert Greenwald Symposium at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, KS, 2017 and 2018. Selected to give an oral presentation to the Gilbert Greenwald Symposium at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, KS, October 2018. |
Jillian Power Undergraduate Student Researcher2019 |
Successfully obtained funding from UCARE for her work in the Natarajan Lab. Received ARD undergraduate Scholarship Award from IANR at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. |
Ellie Rautio |
Completing Dietetic internship with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. |
Mwiza Aline Uwashimimana |
Now pursuing master of science in nutrition and public health at Purdue University. |
Jenna WhitmoreUndergraduate Student Researcher from Nebraska Wesleyan |
Now pursuing Professional Studies in Dietetics as a graduate student in the Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. |
In the News
Faculty, team excellence recognized during 2023 IANR Distinguished Faculty Celebration
Study links omega fatty acids with infant growth
Nutrient compound shows promise for halting mother-to-fetus Zika transmission
Blog tech roundup, April-23-2021
Selected Publications
PubMed
2023
Effects of High-intensity, Eccentric-only Muscle Actions on Serum Biomarkers of Collagen Degradation and Synthesis.Neltner TJ, Sahoo PK, Smith RW, Anders JP, Arnett JE, Ortega DG, Schmidt RJ, Johnson GO, Natarajan SK, Housh TJ. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 37(9):p: 1729-1737, September 2023doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000004457 Something smells fishy: How lipid mediators impact neonatal development and the meternal-fetal interface. Thompson M, Ulu A, Yuil-Valdes AG, Mukherjee M, Thoene M, VanOrmer M, Slotkowski R, Lyden E, Anderson-Berry A, Hanson CK, Nordgren TM, Natarajan SK*. Biomedicines 2023; 10;11(1):171.doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11010171PMID: 36672679
2022
Novel Therapeutic Nutrients Molecules That Protect Against Zika Virus Infection with a Special Note on PalmitoleateMuthuraj PG, Krishnamoorthy C, Anderson-Berry A, Hanson C, Natarajan SK.Nutrients. 2022 Dec 27;15(1):124doi: 10.3390/nu15010124PMID: 36615782Free PMC Article. Review. Effects of 8 Weeks of Shilajit Supplementation on Serum Pro-c1α1, a Biomarker of Type 1 Collagen Synthesis: A Randomized Control TrialNeltner TJ, Sahoo PK, Smith RW, Anders JPV, Arnett JE, Schmidt RJ, Johnson GO, Natarajan SK, Housh TJ.J Diet Suppl. 2022 Dec 22:1-12.doi: 10.1080/19390211.2022.2157522. Online ahead of print.PMID: 36546868 Arsenic Toxicity on Metabolism and Autophagy in Adipose and Muscle Tissues Seung-Hyun Ro, Jiyoung Bae, Yura Jang, Jacob F. Myers, Soonkyu Chung, Jiujiu Yu, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Rodrigo Franco, Hyun-Seob SongAntioxidants 2022; 11(4):689.doi: 10.3390/antiox11040689PMID: 35453374. Review Omega-6 and Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Derived Oxylipins from the Lipoxygenase Pathway in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Plasma at Delivery and their Relationship with Infant GrowthThompson M, Ulu A, Yuil-Valdes AG, Mukherjee M, Thoene M, Van Ormer M, Slotkowski R, Lyden E, Anderson Berry A, Hanson CK, Nordgren TM, Natarajan SK.Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jan 9;23(2):708.doi: 10.3390/ijms23020708PMID: 35054892Free PMC article. Trophoblast Changes in Maternal ObesitySahoo PK, Natarajan SK.Diabesity. 2022 (Review) 8 (1); 19-22
2021
Palmitoleate Protects against Zika virus-induced Placental Trophoblast Apoptosis.Muthuraj PG, Pattnaik A, Sahoo PK, Islam MT, Pattnaik AK, Byrareddy SN, Hanson C, Anderson Berry A, Kachman SD, Natarajan SK. Biomedicines. 2021 Jun 4;9(6). doi: 10.3390/biomedicines9060643PMID: 34200091PMCID: PMC8226770 Saturated free fatty acids induce placental trophoblast lipoapoptosis.Natarajan SK, Bruett T, Muthuraj PG, Sahoo PK, Power J, Mott JL, Hanson C, Anderson-Berry A. journals.plos.org. 2021 Apr 22;16(4):e0249907. eCollection 2021.doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249907PMID: 33886600PMCID: PMC8062006 Zika virus infection induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in placental trophoblasts.
Muthuraj PG, Sahoo PK, Kraus M, Bruett T, Annamalai AS, Pattnaik A, Pattnaik AK, Byrareddy SN, Natarajan SK. Cell Death Discov. 2021 Jan 26;7(1):24.doi: 10.1038/s41420-020-00379-8PMID: 33500388PMCID: PMC7838309
2019
Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Derived Resolvin D2 Regulates Human Placental Vascular Smooth Muscle and Extravillous Trophoblast Activities.Ulu A, Sahoo PK, Yuil-Valdes AG, Mukherjee M, Van Ormer M, Muthuraj PG, Thompson M, Anderson Berry A, Hanson CK, Natarajan SK, Nordgren TM. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Sep 7;20(18):4402.doi: 10.3390/ijms20184402PMID: 31500240PMCID: PMC6770915
2018
Role of 3-Hydroxy Fatty Acid-Induced Hepatic Lipotoxicity in Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy.Natarajan SK, Ibdah JA. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Jan 22;19(1):322.doi: 10.3390/ijms19010322PMID: 29361796PMCID: PMC5796265
2017
FoxO3 increases miR-34a to cause palmitate-induced cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis.Natarajan SK, Stringham BA, Mohr AM, Wehrkamp CJ, Lu S, Phillippi MA, Harrison-Findik D, Mott JL. J Lipid Res. 2017 May;58(5):866-875. Epub 2017 Mar 1.doi: 10.1194/jlr.M071357PMID: 28250026PMCID: PMC5408604