Scientific area
3.1 Basic medicine
Discipline(s)
Pathology
Project title
Understanding the contribution of iron overload in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: identification of cellular players and potential molecular therapeutic targets
Scientific Coordinator's name:
Tiago Duarte
Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:
tduarte@ibmc.up.pt
Principal R&D Unit:
Iron and Innate Immunity
Other R&D Units involved in the project:
.
Project keyword(s)
iron, liver, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis
Short abstract and comments
In western countries, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is estimated to affect 20-30 per cent of the general population. It starts with the relatively benign accumulation of lipids in the hepatocyte. In some patients, steatosis can progress to the more severe non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with inflammation, fibrosis, and impaired liver function (cirrhosis). Potential aggravating factors in NAFLD are the excessive hepatic iron accumulation that is frequently seen in NAFLD patients or the failure of hepatocytes to synthesize sufficient endogenous antioxidants. Using animal (mouse) models of iron overload and steatotic liver, this work is aimed at understanding the contribution of iron to inflammation/fibrosis in the steatotic liver and at testing whether pharmacological manipulation of the Nrf2 signalling pathway (a coordinator of the cellular antioxidant response) may represent a valid therapeutic approach to prevent/delay this condition.
Potential uses/indications
This project will help clarify the effect of iron-overload in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and will highlight the significant cell mediators. In addition, this multifaceted study may help indicate new therapeutic targets for NAFLD, initially at the experimental level. The impact of the study's results will positively influence the field of NAFLD/NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) pathogenesis.
Status
Ongoing
Partner Status: Seeking Partners?
Yes
Grant number (QREN, FP7, Eureka, etc)
PTDC/BIM-MET/0739/2012
Last edited on
2013-01-31 16:04:05