Analysis of the role of lysine methyltransferase SETD7 in metabolic and cardiovascular changes induced by obesity in females

• Grant number: 18/25814-4
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal researcher: Gabriela Placoná Diniz
• Grantee: Juliane Braga Miranda
• Home Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity has increased at an alarming rate in the world and has become a serious concern since it is frequently associated with several comorbidities, such as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Several studies performed in the last decades have shown the participation of epigenetic mechanisms in physiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and metabolic diseases. Among epigenetic mechanisms is the histone methylation, which is being increasingly recognized. The SETD7 methyltransferase methylates histones and non-histones proteins, influencing diverse physiological and pathological cellular processes. In this sense, SETD7 has been shown to influence metabolic alterations, such as insulin resistance and brown adipocyte differentiation, as well as cardiac development and fibrosis. Preliminary results from our group suggest that female mice with SETD7 deletion are more sensitive to high-fat diet-induced obesity than wild type females, and this effect was not observed in males (unpublished data). However, the effect of SETD7 on the establishment of cardiovascular and metabolic alterations promoted by obesity remains unknown. In this sense, the objective of the present study is to characterize the role of SETD7 in the development of cardiovascular and metabolic alterations promoted by obesity in female mice. (AU)