DNA methylation and gene expression of obesity-related genes in a culture of adipocytes

• Grant number: 23/08563-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: October 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Carolina Nicoletti Ferreira Fino
• Grantee: Letícia Lobato Souza
• Supervisor: Ana Belén Crujeiras Martínez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Vida (USC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/09301-2 - Effect of folic acid in adipocyte's DNA methylation levels in lupus patients: in vitro study, BP.MS

Abstract

Obesity has emerged as an extremely important public health issue. The greatest concern with the disease is based on its association with several other diseases that are linked to increased mortality. Obesity has a complex and multifactorial etiology and some studies show that the interaction between genetic and environmental factors, such as eating behavior or physical activity, strongly modulate the risk of developing obesity. Also, evidence indicates that there is a DNA methylation pattern associated with obesity. The validation of genes and specific targets can offer new treatments and a look at the heterogeneity of individuals with the disease, in order to provide personalized therapy for obesity and the various associated comorbidities. Objectives: 1) To know the functioning and methodologies of a cutting-edge laboratory in epigenomics studies; 2) To acquire new knowledge about cell culture techniques and in vitro adipogenesis in order to enrich and expand the methodologies used in the master's project in progress in Brazil; 3) To evaluate DNA methylation and gene expression levels of obesity-related genes in a culture of adipocytes. Methodology: Fibroblastic cells (preadipocytes) of the C3H10 lineage (ATCC) will be submitted to differentiation through the process of adipogenesis. The already differentiated adipocytes will undergo the DNA and RNA extraction process for the methylation analysis process by pyrosequencing and gene expression analysis by real-time PCR (qPCR). (AU)