Expression of autophagy genes in Ffar4 knockout mice.

• Grant number: 15/23491-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: March 30, 2016
• End date: March 29, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Grantee: Carla Evelyn Coimbra Nuñez
• Supervisor: Karsten Kristiansen
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/13480-0 - Modulation of the autophagic process by high fat diet, BP.PD

Abstract

The high consumption of fatty acid rich diets has been extensively associated with obesity and obesity-associated non-communicable chronic diseases. On the other hand, an increasing number of studies have reinforced the idea that omega -3 fatty acids have a great anti-obesity potential as shown by its anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic actions. Besides the immunomodulatory actions of omega-3, the capacity of improving adipose tissue profile deserves careful attention as abnormalities of white adipose tissue (WAT) are implicated in the development of obesity associated disturbances such as fat liver disease and insulin resistance. It was recently shown that autophagy, a mechanism primary activated by reduced energy supply, is upregulated in adipose tissue of obese person and mice and that fatty acids could modulate autophagy in a diversity of cell types. Moreover, the specific knockdown of ATG genes in leads to lean and obesity-resistant mice. This study aims to evaluate autophagy genes expression in mesenteric fat depot in Ffar4 KO mice and compare that with changes in inflammatory and adipose tissue mass. We hypothesize that expression of autophagic genes in mesenteric adipose tissue differs between Ffar4 KO and wild type mice. Moreover, since interaction between lipids and the gut microbiota play crucial roles in modulating metabolic performance and adipose tissue inflammation colon and cecum content will be collected and the composition of the gut microbiota will be determined by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing.