EFFECTS OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI PROTEINS ON ADIPOGENESIS AND PRODUCTION OF INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS BY 3T3-L1 ADIPOCYTES

• Grant number: 24/21214-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Cynthia Aparecida de Castro
• Grantee: Luanne Rodrigues Calé
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Obesity and its associated metabolic syndromes such as type 2 diabetes represent a global epidemic health problem. Metabolic inflammation, lipid accumulation and insulin resistance contribute to the progression of these diseases, thus becoming targets for drug development. Epidemiological data have shown that the rate of helminth infection correlates negatively with the incidence of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. Studies in animal models, in vitro and clinical, indicate that helminth infection can mitigate these metabolic diseases through immunometabolic stimulation, with induction of M2 polarization of macrophages, modulation of adipogenesis and inflammation. Thus, molecules derived from the Schistosoma mansoni parasite have been suggested as regulators of processes that can modify the functions of immune cells, modulate adipogenesis in adipocytes, reducing inflammation and improving glucose tolerance. These findings indicate that the relationship between helminths and hosts may be a new direction for metabolic diseases. However, the therapeutic potential of these immunomodulatory proteins in metabolic control associated with chronic inflammation remains unexplored. Thus, the objective of the research will be to analyze the action of the recombinant protein belonging to the FABP family (Fatty Acid Binding Proteins), Sm14 derived from Schistosoma mansoni, on adipogenesis and production of inflammatory mediators in an in vitro model.