Kevin Dean Niswender, Ph.D., M.D.

Associate Professor

kevin.niswender@vanderbilt.edu

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Faculty Appointments
Associate Professor of Medicine Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
Education
M.D., Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TennesseePh.D., Molecular Physioloyg and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TennesseeB.S., Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Office Address
722 PRB
Nashville, TN 37232-6303
Research Keywords
Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism
Publications
Rojas JM, Bruinstroop E, Printz RL, Alijagic-Boers A, Foppen E, Turney MK, George L, Beck-Sickinger AG, Kalsbeek A, Niswender KD. Central nervous system neuropeptide Y regulates mediators of hepatic phospholipid remodeling and very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride secretion via sympathetic innervation. Mol Metab. 2015 Mar; 4(3): 210-21. PMID: 25737956, PMCID: PMC4338317, PII: S2212-8778(15)00005-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2015.01.004, ISSN: 2212-8778.

Branecky KL, Niswender KD, Pendergast JS. Disruption of Daily Rhythms by High-Fat Diet Is Reversible. PLoS ONE. 2015; 10(9): e0137970. PMID: 26366733, PMCID: PMC4569368, PII: PONE-D-15-21998, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137970, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Morris LC, Nance KD, Gentry PR, Days EL, Weaver CD, Niswender CM, Thompson AD, Jones CK, Locuson CW, Morrison RD, Daniels JS, Niswender KD, Lindsley CW. Discovery of (S)-2-cyclopentyl-N-((1-isopropylpyrrolidin2-yl)-9-methyl-1-oxo-2,9-dihydro-1H-pyrrido[3,4-b]indole-4-carboxamide (VU0453379): a novel, CNS penetrant glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) positive allosteric modulator (PAM). J. Med. Chem [print-electronic]. 2014 Dec 12/11/2014; 57(23): 10192-7. PMID: 25423411, PMCID: PMC4266362, DOI: 10.1021/jm501375c, ISSN: 1520-4804.

Kocalis HE, Hagan SL, George L, Turney MK, Siuta MA, Laryea GN, Morris LC, Muglia LJ, Printz RL, Stanwood GD, Niswender KD. Rictor/mTORC2 facilitates central regulation of energy and glucose homeostasis. Mol Metab. 2014 Jul; 3(4): 394-407. PMID: 24944899, PMCID: PMC4060224, PII: S2212-8778(14)00019-2, DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2014.01.014, ISSN: 2212-8778.

Saunders C, Siuta M, Robertson SD, Davis AR, Sauer J, Matthies HJ, Gresch PJ, Airey DC, Lindsley CW, Schetz JA, Niswender KD, Veenstra-Vanderweele JM, Galli A. Neuronal ablation of p-Akt at Ser473 leads to altered 5-HT1A/2A receptor function. Neurochem. Int [print-electronic]. 2014 Jul; 73: 113-21. PMID: 24090638, PMCID: PMC4073299, PII: S0197-0186(13)00242-8, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2013.09.015, ISSN: 1872-9754.

Silver HJ, Kang H, Keil CD, Muldowney JA, Kocalis H, Fazio S, Vaughan DE, Niswender KD. Consuming a balanced high fat diet for 16 weeks improves body composition, inflammation and vascular function parameters in obese premenopausal women. Metab. Clin. Exp [print-electronic]. 2014 Apr; 63(4): 562-73. PMID: 24559846, PMCID: PMC4306330, PII: S0026-0495(14)00017-1, DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2014.01.004, ISSN: 1532-8600.

Morris LC, Days EL, Turney M, Mi D, Lindsley CW, Weaver CD, Niswender KD. A Duplexed High-Throughput Screen to Identify Allosteric Modulators of the Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 and Glucagon Receptors. J Biomol Screen [print-electronic]. 2014 Feb 2/13/2014; 19(6): 847-58. PMID: 24525870, PMCID: PMC4306651, PII: 1087057114520971, DOI: 10.1177/1087057114520971, ISSN: 1552-454X.

Pendergast JS, Branecky KL, Huang R, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. Wheel-running activity modulates circadian organization and the daily rhythm of eating behavior. Front Psychol. 2014; 5: 177. PMID: 24624109, PMCID: PMC3941004, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00177, ISSN: 1664-1078.

Pendergast JS, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. The complex relationship between the light-entrainable and methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillators: evidence from behavioral studies of Period-mutant mice. Eur. J. Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2013 Oct; 38(7): 3044-53. PMID: 23869717, PMCID: PMC3899104, DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12309, ISSN: 1460-9568.

Silver HJ, Niswender KD, Kullberg J, Berglund J, Johansson L, Bruvold M, Avison MJ, Welch EB. Comparison of gross body fat-water magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in obese women. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013 Apr; 21(4): 765-74. PMID: 23712980, PMCID: PMC3500572, DOI: 10.1002/oby.20287, ISSN: 1930-739X.

Pendergast JS, Branecky KL, Yang W, Ellacott KL, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. High-fat diet acutely affects circadian organisation and eating behavior. Eur. J. Neurosci [print-electronic]. 2013 Apr; 37(8): 1350-6. PMID: 23331763, PMCID: PMC3645495, DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12133, ISSN: 1460-9568.

West J, Niswender KD, Johnson JA, Pugh ME, Gleaves L, Fessel JP, Hemnes AR. A potential role for insulin resistance in experimental pulmonary hypertension. Eur. Respir. J [print-electronic]. 2013 Apr; 41(4): 861-71. PMID: 22936709, PMCID: PMC3746982, PII: 09031936.00030312, DOI: 10.1183/09031936.00030312, ISSN: 1399-3003.

Pendergast JS, Oda GA, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. Period determination in the food-entrainable and methamphetamine-sensitive circadian oscillator(s). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A [print-electronic]. 2012 Aug 8/28/2012; 109(35): 14218-23. PMID: 22891330, PMCID: PMC3435193, PII: 1206213109, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1206213109, ISSN: 1091-6490.

Silver HJ, Niswender KD, Keil CD, Jiang L, Feng Q, Chiu S, Krauss RM, Wilke RA. CNR1 genotype influences HDL-cholesterol response to change in dietary fat intake. PLoS ONE [print-electronic]. 2012; 7(5): e36166. PMID: 22567136, PMCID: PMC3342253, PII: PONE-D-11-20311, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036166, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Pendergast JS, Niswender KD, Yamazaki S. Tissue-specific function of Period3 in circadian rhythmicity. PLoS ONE [print-electronic]. 2012; 7(1): e30254. PMID: 22253927, PMCID: PMC3256228, PII: PONE-D-11-22609, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030254, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Hagan S, Niswender KD. Neuroendocrine regulation of food intake. Pediatr Blood Cancer [print-electronic]. 2012 Jan; 58(1): 149-53. PMID: 21953791, DOI: 10.1002/pbc.23376, ISSN: 1545-5017.

Kocalis HE, Turney MK, Printz RL, Laryea GN, Muglia LJ, Davies SS, Stanwood GD, McGuinness OP, Niswender KD. Neuron-specific deletion of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARd) in mice leads to increased susceptibility to diet-induced obesity. PLoS ONE [print-electronic]. 2012; 7(8): e42981. PMID: 22916190, PMCID: PMC3423438, PII: PONE-D-12-05087, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0042981, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Niswender KD. Basal insulin: beyond glycemia. Postgrad Med. 2011 Jul; 123(4): 27-37. PMID: 21680986, DOI: 10.3810/pgm.2011.07.2301, ISSN: 1941-9260.

Niswender KD. Basal insulin: physiology, pharmacology, and clinical implications. Postgrad Med. 2011 Jul; 123(4): 17-26. PMID: 21680985, DOI: 10.3810/pgm.2011.07.2300, ISSN: 1941-9260.

Speed N, Saunders C, Davis AR, Owens WA, Matthies HJ, Saadat S, Kennedy JP, Vaughan RA, Neve RL, Lindsley CW, Russo SJ, Daws LC, Niswender KD, Galli A. Impaired striatal Akt signaling disrupts dopamine homeostasis and increases feeding. PLoS ONE [print-electronic]. 2011; 6(9): e25169. PMID: 21969871, PMCID: PMC3182178, PII: PONE-D-11-08652, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025169, ISSN: 1932-6203.

Silver HJ, Dietrich MS, Niswender KD. Effects of grapefruit, grapefruit juice and water preloads on energy balance, weight loss, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk in free-living obese adults. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2011; 8(1): 8. PMID: 21288350, PMCID: PMC3039556, PII: 1743-7075-8-8, DOI: 10.1186/1743-7075-8-8, ISSN: 1743-7075.

Niswender KD, Daws LC, Avison MJ, Galli A. Insulin regulation of monoamine signaling: pathway to obesity. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2011 Jan; 36(1): 359-60. PMID: 21116253, PMCID: PMC3055525, PII: npp2010167, DOI: 10.1038/npp.2010.167, ISSN: 1740-634X.

Siuta MA, Robertson SD, Kocalis H, Saunders C, Gresch PJ, Khatri V, Shiota C, Kennedy JP, Lindsley CW, Daws LC, Polley DB, Veenstra-Vanderweele J, Stanwood GD, Magnuson MA, Niswender KD, Galli A. Dysregulation of the norepinephrine transporter sustains cortical hypodopaminergia and schizophrenia-like behaviors in neuronal rictor null mice. PLoS Biol. 2010; 8(6): e1000393. PMID: 20543991, PMCID: PMC2882427, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000393, ISSN: 1545-7885.

Silver HJ, Welch EB, Avison MJ, Niswender KD. Imaging body composition in obesity and weight loss: challenges and opportunities. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2010; 3: 337-47. PMID: 21437103, PMCID: PMC3047979, DOI: 10.2147/DMSOTT.S9454, ISSN: 1178-7007.

Robinson JR, Niswender KD. What are the risks and the benefits of current and emerging weight-loss medications?. Curr. Diab. Rep. 2009 Oct; 9(5): 368-75. PMID: 19793507, ISSN: 1539-0829.

Posey KA, Clegg DJ, Printz RL, Byun J, Morton GJ, Vivekanandan-Giri A, Pennathur S, Baskin DG, Heinecke JW, Woods SC, Schwartz MW, Niswender KD. Hypothalamic proinflammatory lipid accumulation, inflammation, and insulin resistance in rats fed a high-fat diet. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab [print-electronic]. 2009 May; 296(5): E1003-12. PMID: 19116375, PMCID: PMC2681305, PII: 90377.2008, DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.90377.2008, ISSN: 0193-1849.

Huizinga MM, Niswender KD, Gebretsadik T, Rothman RL, Shintani AK, Elasy TA. Insulin use and weight maintenance in well-controlled type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study. Obesity (Silver Spring) [print-electronic]. 2008 Aug; 16(8): 1933-7. PMID: 18551124, PMCID: PMC2694404, PII: oby2008301, DOI: 10.1038/oby.2008.301, ISSN: 1930-7381.

Niswender KD, Beech BM. Obesity: increasing awareness of novel environmental factors. Diabetes. 2008 Jul; 57(7): 1786-7. PMID: 18586911, PMCID: PMC2453635, PII: 57/7/1786, DOI: 10.2337/db08-0527, ISSN: 1939-327X.

Stafford JM, Yu F, Printz R, Hasty AH, Swift LL, Niswender KD. Central nervous system neuropeptide Y signaling modulates VLDL triglyceride secretion. Diabetes [print-electronic]. 2008 Jun; 57(6): 1482-90. PMID: 18332095, PMCID: PMC3968924, PII: db07-1702, DOI: 10.2337/db07-1702, ISSN: 1939-327X.

Niswender KD, Magnuson MA. Obesity and the beta cell: lessons from leptin. J. Clin. Invest. 2007 Oct; 117(10): 2753-6. PMID: 17909621, PMCID: PMC1994637, DOI: 10.1172/JCI33528, ISSN: 0021-9738.

Saraswathi V, Gao L, Morrow JD, Chait A, Niswender KD, Hasty AH. Fish oil increases cholesterol storage in white adipose tissue with concomitant decreases in inflammation, hepatic steatosis, and atherosclerosis in mice. J. Nutr. 2007 Jul; 137(7): 1776-82. PMID: 17585030, PII: 137/7/1776, ISSN: 0022-3166.

Gelling RW, Morton GJ, Morrison CD, Niswender KD, Myers MG, Rhodes CJ, Schwartz MW. Insulin action in the brain contributes to glucose lowering during insulin treatment of diabetes. Cell Metab. 2006 Jan; 3(1): 67-73. PMID: 16399506, PII: S1550-4131(05)00349-9, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2005.11.013, ISSN: 1550-4131.

Morton GJ, Gelling RW, Niswender KD, Morrison CD, Rhodes CJ, Schwartz MW. Leptin regulates insulin sensitivity via phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase signaling in mediobasal hypothalamic neurons. Cell Metab. 2005 Dec; 2(6): 411-20. PMID: 16330326, PII: S1550-4131(05)00336-0, DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2005.10.009, ISSN: 1550-4131.

Morrison CD, Morton GJ, Niswender KD, Gelling RW, Schwartz MW. Leptin inhibits hypothalamic Npy and Agrp gene expression via a mechanism that requires phosphatidylinositol 3-OH-kinase signaling. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab [print-electronic]. 2005 Dec; 289(6): E1051-7. PMID: 16046456, PII: 00094.2005, DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00094.2005, ISSN: 0193-1849.

Morton GJ, Blevins JE, Williams DL, Niswender KD, Gelling RW, Rhodes CJ, Baskin DG, Schwartz MW. Leptin action in the forebrain regulates the hindbrain response to satiety signals. J. Clin. Invest. 2005 Mar; 115(3): 703-10. PMID: 15711637, PMCID: PMC548313, DOI: 10.1172/JCI22081, ISSN: 0021-9738.

Schwartz MW, Niswender KD. Adiposity signaling and biological defense against weight gain: absence of protection or central hormone resistance?. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2004 Dec; 89(12): 5889-97. PMID: 15579732, PII: 89/12/5889, DOI: 10.1210/jc.2004-0906, ISSN: 0021-972X.

Niswender KD, Baskin DG, Schwartz MW. Insulin and its evolving partnership with leptin in the hypothalamic control of energy homeostasis. Trends Endocrinol. Metab. 2004 Oct; 15(8): 362-9. PMID: 15380807, PII: S1043-2760(04)00154-7, DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2004.07.009, ISSN: 1043-2760.

Morton GJ, Niswender KD, Rhodes CJ, Myers MG, Blevins JE, Baskin DG, Schwartz MW. Arcuate nucleus-specific leptin receptor gene therapy attenuates the obesity phenotype of Koletsky (fa(k)/fa(k)) rats. Endocrinology. 2003 May; 144(5): 2016-24. PMID: 12697710, DOI: 10.1210/en.2002-0115, ISSN: 0013-7227.

Niswender KD, Gallis B, Blevins JE, Corson MA, Schwartz MW, Baskin DG. Immunocytochemical detection of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation by insulin and leptin. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 2003 Mar; 51(3): 275-83. PMID: 12588955, ISSN: 0022-1554.

Niswender KD, Morrison CD, Clegg DJ, Olson R, Baskin DG, Myers MG, Seeley RJ, Schwartz MW. Insulin activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus: a key mediator of insulin-induced anorexia. Diabetes. 2003 Feb; 52(2): 227-31. PMID: 12540590, ISSN: 0012-1797.

Niswender KD, Schwartz MW. Insulin and leptin revisited: adiposity signals with overlapping physiological and intracellular signaling capabilities. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2003 Jan; 24(1): 1-10. PMID: 12609497, PII: S009130220200105X, ISSN: 0091-3022.

Niswender KD, Morton GJ, Stearns WH, Rhodes CJ, Myers MG, Schwartz MW. Intracellular signalling. Key enzyme in leptin-induced anorexia. Nature. 2001 Oct 10/25/2001; 413(6858): 794-5. PMID: 11677594, PII: 35101657, DOI: 10.1038/35101657, ISSN: 0028-0836.

Lu JT, Son YJ, Lee J, Jetton TL, Shiota M, Moscoso L, Niswender KD, Loewy AD, Magnuson MA, Sanes JR, Emeson RB. Mice lacking alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide exhibit normal cardiovascular regulation and neuromuscular development. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 1999 Aug; 14(2): 99-120. PMID: 10532808, PII: S1044-7431(99)90767-4, DOI: 10.1006/mcne.1999.0767, ISSN: 1044-7431.

Kupershmidt S, Yang T, Anderson ME, Wessels A, Niswender KD, Magnuson MA, Roden DM. Replacement by homologous recombination of the minK gene with lacZ reveals restriction of minK expression to the mouse cardiac conduction system. Circ. Res. 1999 Feb 2/5/1999; 84(2): 146-52. PMID: 9933245, ISSN: 0009-7330.

Postic C, Shiota M, Niswender KD, Jetton TL, Chen Y, Moates JM, Shelton KD, Lindner J, Cherrington AD, Magnuson MA. Dual roles for glucokinase in glucose homeostasis as determined by liver and pancreatic beta cell-specific gene knock-outs using Cre recombinase. J. Biol. Chem. 1999 Jan 1/1/1999; 274(1): 305-15. PMID: 9867845, ISSN: 0021-9258.

Evans TJ, Miller MA, Ganjam VK, Niswender KD, Ellersieck MR, Krause WJ, Youngquist RS. Morphometric analysis of endometrial periglandular fibrosis in mares. Am. J. Vet. Res. 1998 Oct; 59(10): 1209-14. PMID: 9781449, ISSN: 0002-9645.

Qu S, Niswender KD, Ji Q, van der Meer R, Keeney D, Magnuson MA, Wisdom R. Polydactyly and ectopic ZPA formation in Alx-4 mutant mice. Development. 1997 Oct; 124(20): 3999-4008. PMID: 9374397, ISSN: 0950-1991.

Niswender KD, Shiota M, Postic C, Cherrington AD, Magnuson MA. Effects of increased glucokinase gene copy number on glucose homeostasis and hepatic glucose metabolism. J. Biol. Chem. 1997 Sep 9/5/1997; 272(36): 22570-5. PMID: 9278411, ISSN: 0021-9258.

Niswender KD, Postic C, Jetton TL, Bennett BD, Piston DW, Efrat S, Magnuson MA. Cell-specific expression and regulation of a glucokinase gene locus transgene. J. Biol. Chem. 1997 Sep 9/5/1997; 272(36): 22564-9. PMID: 9278410, ISSN: 0021-9258.

Ji QS, Winnier GE, Niswender KD, Horstman D, Wisdom R, Magnuson MA, Carpenter G. Essential role of the tyrosine kinase substrate phospholipase C-gamma1 in mammalian growth and development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1997 Apr 4/1/1997; 94(7): 2999-3003. PMID: 9096335, PMCID: PMC20311, ISSN: 0027-8424.

Niswender KD, Postic C, Shiota M, Jetton TL, Magnuson MA. Effects of altered glucokinase gene copy number on blood glucose homoeostasis. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 1997 Feb; 25(1): 113-7. PMID: 9056854, ISSN: 0300-5127.

Niswender KD, Li J, Powell MR, Loos KR, Roberts RM, Keisler DH, Smith MF. Effect of variants of interferon-tau with mutations near the carboxyl terminus on luteal life span in sheep. Biol. Reprod. 1997 Jan; 56(1): 214-20. PMID: 9002652, ISSN: 0006-3363.

Niswender KD, Blackman SM, Rohde L, Magnuson MA, Piston DW. Quantitative imaging of green fluorescent protein in cultured cells: comparison of microscopic techniques, use in fusion proteins and detection limits. J Microsc. 1995 Nov; 180(Pt 2): 109-16. PMID: 8537958, ISSN: 0022-2720.

Postic C, Niswender KD, Decaux JF, Parsa R, Shelton KD, Gouhot B, Pettepher CC, Granner DK, Girard J, Magnuson MA. Cloning and characterization of the mouse glucokinase gene locus and identification of distal liver-specific DNase I hypersensitive sites. Genomics. 1995 Oct 10/10/1995; 29(3): 740-50. PMID: 8575768, PII: S0888-7543(85)79943-0, DOI: 10.1006/geno.1995.9943, ISSN: 0888-7543.

Hawkins DE, Niswender KD, Oss GM, Moeller CL, Odde KG, Sawyer HR, Niswender GD. An increase in serum lipids increases luteal lipid content and alters the disappearance rate of progesterone in cows. J. Anim. Sci. 1995 Feb; 73(2): 541-5. PMID: 7601788, ISSN: 0021-8812.

Morita H, Yano Y, Niswender KD, May JM, Whitesell RR, Wu L, Printz RL, Granner DK, Magnuson MA, Powers AC. Coexpression of glucose transporters and glucokinase in Xenopus oocytes indicates that both glucose transport and phosphorylation determine glucose utilization. J. Clin. Invest. 1994 Oct; 94(4): 1373-82. PMID: 7929812, PMCID: PMC295259, DOI: 10.1172/JCI117472, ISSN: 0021-9738.

Niswender GD, McNatty KP, Smith P, Niswender KD, Farin CE, Sawyer HR. Numbers of steroidogenic luteal cells in Booroola Merino ewes. J. Reprod. Fertil. 1990 Sep; 90(1): 185-90. PMID: 2231539, ISSN: 0022-4251.

Sawyer HR, Niswender KD, Braden TD, Niswender GD. Nuclear changes in ovine luteal cells in response to PGF2 alpha. Domest. Anim. Endocrinol. 1990 Apr; 7(2): 229-37. PMID: 2369821, PII: 0739-7240(90)90029-Y, ISSN: 0739-7240.