Scientific area
3.1 Basic medicine
Discipline(s)
Pharmacology and pharmacy
Pathology
Anatomy and morphology (plant science go to scientific area 1.6)
Project title
Aiming at miR-21 and bile acid-activated receptors in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease pathogenesis: two bullets for one murder?
Scientific Coordinator's name:
Rui Eduardo Mota Castro
Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:
ruieduardocastro@ff.ul.pt
Principal R&D Unit:
iMed.UL/FFUL
Other R&D Units involved in the project:
Molecular Medicine Institute (IMM/FM/UL); University of Minnesota Medical School, Department of Medicine (UM); University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW).
Project keyword(s)
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); microRNA-21; bile acid activated receptors (BAARs); PPARalpha.
Short abstract and comments
There is still no established, evidence-based treatment for patients with NAFLD and the biological mechanisms underlying the occurrence of steatosis and its progression to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are not entirely known. We hypothesize that miR-21 is a specific miRNA involved in NAFLD pathogenesis and that its inhibition may halt disease progression. We further postulate that targeting of BAARs can also constitute a protective strategy.
Potential uses/indications
The identification and characterization of miR-21 as an active, determinant player during NAFLD pathogenesis, as well as its targeting in conjugation with safe BA-derived BAAR agonists, will embody new molecular targets that can potentially become the object of therapeutic interventions. Ultimately, it may enable us to inhibit NAFLD pathogenesis and its progression towards hepatocellular carcinoma or liver failure.
Status
Ongoing
Partner Status: Seeking Partners?
No
Grant number (QREN, FP7, Eureka, etc)
FCT: PTDC/BIM-MEC/0873/2012
Last edited on
2013-10-30 17:53:33