4. Carrier N, Wang X, Sun L, Lu XY * (2015) Sex-specific and estrous cycle-dependent antidepressant-like effects and hippocampal Akt signaling of leptin. Endocrinology, in press.

5. Guo M, Lu XY* (2014).Leptin receptor deficiency confers resistance to behavioral effects of fluoxetine and desipramine via separable substrates.Translational Psychiatry 4, e486; doi:10.1038/tp.2014.126.

6. Wang X, Zhang D, Lu XY * (2014) Dentate gyrus-CA3 glutamate release/NMDA transmission mediates behavioral despair and antidepressant-like responses to leptin. Mol Psychiatry. 20(4):509 -519.

7. Liu J, Guo M, Zhang D, Cheng SY, Liu M, Ding J, Scherer PE, Liu F,Lu XY*(2012)Adiponectin is critical in determining susceptibility to depressive behaviors and has antidepressant-like activity.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA109(30):12248-53. Highlighted in Nature 487:274,2012; selected as an ‘Exceptional’ paper by Faculty of 1000, 2012.

8. Guo M, Lu Y, Garza JC, Li Y, Chua SC, Zhang W, Lu B*,Lu XY*(2012)Forebrain glutamatergic neurons mediate leptin action on depression-like behaviors and synaptic depression.Transl Psychiatry2012;2:e83. doi: 10.1038/tp.2012.9. Highlighted in N Engl J Med - Journal Watch Psychiatry 2012.

9. Garza JC, Guo M, Zhang W,Lu XY*(2012)Leptin restores adult hippocampal neurogenesis in a chronic unpredictable stress model of depression and reverses glucocorticoid-induced inhibition of GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling.Mol Psychiatry17(8):790-808. Featured article on the cover; recommended by Faculty of 1000, 2012.

10. Zhang D, Guo M, Zhang W,Lu XY*(2011)Adiponectin stimulates proliferation of adult hippocampal neural stem/progenitor cells through activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)/glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin signaling cascade.J Biol Chem. 286(52):44913-20.

11. Liu J, Perez SM, Zhang W, Lodge DJ,Lu XY*(2011)Selective deletion of the leptin receptor in dopamine neurons produces anxiogenic-like behavior and increases dopaminergic activity in amygdala.Mol Psychiatry16(10):1024-38. Featured article on the cover.

12. Garza JC, Guo M, Zhang W,Lu XY*(2008)Leptin increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo and in vitro.J of Biol Chem.283(26):18238-47.

13. Ryu KY, Garza JC,Lu XY, Barsh GS, Kopito RR (2008) Hypothalamic neurodegeneration and adult-onset obesity in mice lacking the Ubb polyubiquitin gene.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA,105(10):4016-4021.

14. Lu X-Y*, Kim CS, Frazer A and Zhang W (2006)Leptin: a potential novel antidepressant.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA103:1593-1598.Highlited inNature News 2006;Nature Rev Neurosci 7:174, 2006; Nature Clin Pract Endocrinol & Metab 2(4):182, 2006; Nature Clin Pract Neurol 2(5):239, 2006; N Engl J Med -Journal Watch Psychiatry 2006.

15. Wei Q,Lu X-Y, Liu L, Schafer G, Shieh KR, Burke S, Robinson TE, Watson SJ, Seasholtz AF, Akil H (2004) Glucocorticoid receptor overexpression in forebrain: A mouse model of increased emotional lability.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA101(32):11851-6.

16. Lu X-Y*, Barsh GS, Akil H and Watson SJ (2003) Interaction between alpha-melanocute-stimulating hormone and corticotrophin-releasing hormone in the regulation of feeding and hypothalamo-pituirary-adrenal responses.J. Neurosci. 23(21):7863-7872.

17. He L,Lu X-Y, Jolly AF, Eldridge AG, Watson SJ, Jackson PK, Barsh GS, and Gunn TM (2003)^.Spongiform encephalopathy caused by defects of an E3 ubiquitin ligase in mahoganoid mice.Science299:710-712.

18. Lu X-Y*, Shieh K-R, Kabbaj M, Barsh GS, Akil H and Watson SJ (2002) Diurnal rhythm of Agouti-related protein and its relation to corticosterone and food intake.Endocrinology143(10):3905-3915.

19. He L, Gunn TM, Bouley DM,Lu X-Y, Watson SJ, Duke-Cohan JS and Barsh GS (2001) A biochemical function for attractin (mahogany) in agouti-induced pigmentation and obesity.Nature Genetics27(1):40-47.

20. Bagnol D,Lu X-Y(co-first author), Kaelin D, Day HEW, Ollmann M, Gantz I, Akil H, Barsh GS and Watson SJ (1999) Anatomy of an endogenous antagonist: Relationship between agouti-related protein and proopiomelanocortin in brain.J. Neurosci.19:RC26, 1-7.