Investigate motilin and acylated ghrelin as potential mediators of ectopic fat deposition in skeletal muscle cells

• Grant number: 17/03494-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: September 26, 2017
• End date: March 25, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Santos de Lira
• Grantee: Fábio Santos de Lira
• Host Investigator: David H. St-Pierre
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), Canada

Abstract

There are major concerns regarding the increasing prevalence of obesity in children that can lead to a number of major metabolic disorders. Although an excessive accumulation of fat in key metabolic organs and tissues is commonly observed as part of the obesity process at all ages, the early steps promoting these effects during growth urgently need to be further understood and elucidated. During the past fifteen years, it has been shown that gut-derived hormone ghrelin naturally modulates appetite, gastric motility and lipid accumulation in fat tissues. Our recent data lead us to postulate that ghrelin can also alter gastrointestinal functions and stimulate excessive lipid accumulation in the liver, skeletal muscle and, possibly, other organs and tissues. Therefore, the objective of this proposal is to provide critical information on the relationship between ghrelin and ensuing metabolic disorders that often go along with child obesity. For this, we will use relevant cellular and animal models that allow the study of molecular mechanisms of hormonal regulation as a function of a host of parameters that simulate conditions observed in the process of such pathologies. We anticipate that this study will bring about the discovery of so far unsuspected pharmacological targets as well as the development of novel nutritional interventions to prevent obesity and ensuing pathologies in children. (AU)