EFFECTS OF THE HEAVY METAL CADMIUM ON THE ENDOCRINE FUNCTION OF ADIPOCYTES

• Grant number: 23/12708-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Maria Isabel Cardoso Alonso-Vale
• Grantee: Julia Fernandes Barcella
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil

Abstract

White adipose tissue (WAT) is primarily composed of adipocytes, highly specialized cells responsible for capturing/storing excess calories in the form of triglycerides (TAG) and producing a range ofproteins and adipokines with endocrine regulatory actions on bodily functions. Healthy expansion ofWAT occurs through the recruitment of adipocyte precursor cells that differentiate into small, healthy adipocytes, preserving their metabolic and secretory functions. In this context, mesenchymal stem cells or adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) within the cellular fraction of the vascular stroma (VS) in WAT serve as a reservoir of adipocytes, playing an important role in tissue adaptations. Disruptions in WAT physiology can lead to a constant state of inflammation, oxidative stress, and a loss of overall body energy homeostasis, promoting the development of conditions such as obesity, diabetes mellitus,hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases in general. It has been demonstrated that WAT is a targetof toxicity from certain heavy metals, which appears to be related to the development of thesedisorders.However, the specific effects of the heavy metal cadmium on WAT functions areinsufficiently understood, with limited discussion in existing studies. Therefore, the aim of this studyis to Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of cadmium on the secretory(endocrine/inflammatory) function of human adipocytes. To do so, ASCs isolated from visceral and/orsubcutaneous adipose tissue of patients undergoing elective surgery will be cultured and induced todifferentiate. On the 7th day post-differentiation, adipocytes will be exposed to cadmium (3 and 10¼M) for 24 and 48 hours. Subsequently, the cells will be used for experiments employing real-timeRT-PCR to assess transcripts encoding TNF-± and MCP1, and the secreted medium for the evaluationof adipokines adiponectin, leptin, TNF-±, and MCP1, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SIMAO, JUSSARA DE JESUS; BISPO, ANDRESSA FRANCA DE SOUSA; PLATA, VICTOR TADEU GONCALVES; ABEL, ANA BEATRIZ MARQUES; SARAN, RAPHAEL JUSTA; BARCELLA, JULIA FERNANDES; ALONSO, JOAO CARLOS CARDOSO; SANTANA, ANDRE VALENTE; ARMELIN-CORREA, LUCIA MARIA; ALONSO-VALE, MARIA ISABEL CARDOSO. The Activation of the NF-κB Pathway in Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Alters the Deposition of Epigenetic Marks on H3K27 and Is Modulated by Fish Oil. LIFE-BASEL, v. 14, n. 12, p. 17-pg., 2024-12-01. (23/12836-8, 19/13618-9, 22/15127-5, 19/26240-4, 23/12708-0)