Inmaculada Ruz-Maldonado
Associate Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Impaired glycosylation promotes rapid transition to hepatocellular carcinoma in model of diet induced steatotic liver disease
Singh A, Chaube B, Citrin K, Fowler J, Lee S, Catarino J, Knight J, Lowery S, Shree S, Mahoney K, Boutagy N, Ruz-Maldonado I, Harry K, Shanabrough M, Ross T, Malaker S, Suárez Y, Fernández-Hernando C, Grabińska K, Sessa W. Impaired glycosylation promotes rapid transition to hepatocellular carcinoma in model of diet induced steatotic liver disease. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2026 PMID: 41805633, DOI: 10.1172/jci197719.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSteatotic liver diseaseLiver-specific knockoutHepatocellular carcinomaPharmacological inhibitionLiver diseaseHepatic TAG accumulationCis-prenyltransferaseKnock-in modelTAG accumulationHigh-fat diet conditionsTransition to hepatocellular carcinomaTriacylglycerol synthesisTranscriptome atlasImpaired glycosylationChronic liver diseaseHepatocellular carcinoma burdenMolecular analysisMolecular mechanismsHepatocellular carcinoma developmentDGAT2 inhibitionER/oxidative stressHepatocellular carcinoma formationNgBRLipid uptakeVery-low-density
2024
Global deletion of G protein‐coupled receptor 55 impairs glucose homeostasis during obesity by reducing insulin secretion and β‐cell turnover
Liu B, Ruz‐Maldonado I, Persaud S. Global deletion of G protein‐coupled receptor 55 impairs glucose homeostasis during obesity by reducing insulin secretion and β‐cell turnover. Diabetes Obesity And Metabolism 2024, 26: 4591-4601. PMID: 39113250, DOI: 10.1111/dom.15816.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGPR55-/- miceDiet-induced obesityIncreased islet cell apoptosisHigh-fat dietB cell proliferationWild-typeCytokine-induced apoptosisInsulin secretionCaspase-3/7 activityIslet cell apoptosisGlucose homeostasisInsulin secretion in vivoWT miceB cellsDynamic insulin secretionImpaired glucose-Standard chowSusceptibility to diet-induced obesityPerifusion of isolated isletsIslet functionG protein-coupled receptorsG protein-coupled receptor 55Weeks of dietary interventionReduced insulin secretionB cell turnoverFatty acid binding protein 5 suppression attenuates obesity-induced hepatocellular carcinoma by promoting ferroptosis and intratumoral immune rewiring
Sun J, Esplugues E, Bort A, Cardelo M, Ruz-Maldonado I, Fernández-Tussy P, Wong C, Wang H, Ojima I, Kaczocha M, Perry R, Suárez Y, Fernández-Hernando C. Fatty acid binding protein 5 suppression attenuates obesity-induced hepatocellular carcinoma by promoting ferroptosis and intratumoral immune rewiring. Nature Metabolism 2024, 6: 741-763. PMID: 38664583, PMCID: PMC12355809, DOI: 10.1038/s42255-024-01019-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFatty acid binding protein 5Tumor-associated macrophagesHepatocellular carcinomaImmunosuppressive phenotype of tumor-associated macrophagesIncreased CD8+ T cell activationCD8+ T cell activationPhenotype of tumor-associated macrophagesPro-inflammatory tumor microenvironmentCo-stimulatory molecules CD80T cell activationHepatocellular carcinoma burdenTransformation of hepatocytesBinding protein 5Potential therapeutic approachImmunosuppressive phenotypeTumor microenvironmentFerroptosis-induced cell deathMale miceEnhanced ferroptosisTherapeutic approachesPharmacological inhibitionGenetic ablationIncreased expressionSingle-cell atlasAnalysis of transformed cellsHeterogeneity of hepatocyte dynamics restores liver architecture after chemical, physical or viral damage
Ruz-Maldonado I, Gonzalez J, Zhang H, Sun J, Bort A, Kabir I, Kibbey R, Suárez Y, Greif D, Fernández-Hernando C. Heterogeneity of hepatocyte dynamics restores liver architecture after chemical, physical or viral damage. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 1247. PMID: 38341404, PMCID: PMC10858916, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45439-0.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Kisspeptin upregulates β-cell serotonin production during pregnancy
Hill T, Smith L, Ruz-Maldonado I, Jones P, Bowe J. Kisspeptin upregulates β-cell serotonin production during pregnancy. Journal Of Endocrinology 2023, 260: e230218. PMID: 37997938, PMCID: PMC10762540, DOI: 10.1530/joe-23-0218.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIslet adaptationSerotonin productionSerotonin biosynthesisΒ-cellsDevelopment of GDMEffects of kisspeptinLactogenic hormonesGestational insulin resistanceΒ-cell compensationElevated insulin secretionMaternal pancreatic isletsΒ-cell proliferationPregnant controlsInsulin resistanceSerotonin levelsInsulin secretionAutocrine effectsPregnancyTPH-1KisspeptinKnockdown micePancreatic isletsRodent isletsPro-proliferative genesTime points
2016
The diet‐derived short chain fatty acid propionate improves beta‐cell function in humans and stimulates insulin secretion from human islets in vitro
Pingitore A, Chambers E, Hill T, Maldonado I, Liu B, Bewick G, Morrison D, Preston T, Wallis G, Tedford C, González R, Huang G, Choudhary P, Frost G, Persaud S. The diet‐derived short chain fatty acid propionate improves beta‐cell function in humans and stimulates insulin secretion from human islets in vitro. Diabetes Obesity And Metabolism 2016, 19: 257-265. PMID: 27761989, DOI: 10.1111/dom.12811.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedApoptosisBlotting, WesternCaspase 3Caspase 7ColonDietary FatsEstersFatty Acids, NonesterifiedFatty Acids, VolatileFemaleGlucagon-Like Peptide 1HumansImmunohistochemistryIn Vitro TechniquesInsulinInsulin SecretionInsulin-Secreting CellsInulinIslets of LangerhansMaleMiddle AgedPropionatesReceptors, Cell SurfaceConceptsShort-chain fatty acidsShort-chain fatty acid propionateHuman isletsQuantification of caspase 3/7 activitiesHuman islets in vitroB cell functionShort-chain fatty acid receptors FFAR2Glucose homeostasis in vivoInsulin secretionB cellsCaspase 3/7 activityIslets in vitroInhibition of apoptosisIndividual short-chain fatty acidsFunction in vivoHomeostasis in vivoGlucose-stimulated insulin secretion in vitroDynamic insulin secretionFatty acidsInulin-propionate esterChain fatty acidsGlucose-stimulated insulin releaseInsulin secretion in vitroGLP-1B cell function in vivo