Role of physical exercise in rock protein regulation in the hypothalamus from obese rats: effects on insulin and leptin signaling

• Grant number: 13/21061-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: April 01, 2014
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Rochete Ropelle
• Grantee: Luciana Santos Souza Pauli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity is a disease that is growing at an alarming rate and is associated with insulin and leptin resistance and development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, some cancers and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Excess fat in the body is often associated with an eating disorder, which contributes to dysregulation of body-weight homeostasis and energy balance. In this context, the hypothalamus is a important site that essential for the physiologic regulation of food intake and body weight. Impaired insulin and leptin signaling in the hypothalamus causes hyperphagia, which then promotes adiposity and weight gain. Over the past decade, there have been intensive efforts to identify mediators of insulin and leptin action in the hypothalamus that control feeding behavior, energy expenditure and glucose metabolism. Therefore understanding the molecular mechanisms related to insulin and leptin signaling becomes essential to reduce to or reverse the progression of this alarming epidemiological reality, the increased number of obese. On the other hand, the physical exercise can improve insulin and leptin action in hypothalamus and attenuate the hyperphagia. However, the effects of physical exercise on the insulin and leptin molecular pathway are not very well known. Recently, a new protein has been classified as a mediator of insulin and leptin signaling by enhancing its effects, this new protein is Rho-kinase (Rock) that acts on peripheral tissues (skeletal muscle, hepatic and adipose tissues) and in the hypothalamus, contributing to insulin and leptin action in the intracellular environment. Unlike, experimental animals that had the deletion or inhibition of Rock become resistant to both hormones. Seen this, studies about this new protein are necessary to better understand this complex signaling. Up to now no one study was performed to evaluate the physical exercise effects on protein expression of Rock1, this project aims to investigate the role of acute physical exercise in regulation of protein Rock1 and its effects on signaling insulin and leptin in hypothalamus of obese rats. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PAULI, Luciana Santos Souza. Role of physical exercise in rock protein regulation in the hypothalamus from obese rats: effects on insulin and leptin signaling. 2017. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas Limeira, SP.