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P6. Body Weight Homeostasis
Physiopathology
Coordinator: Francesc Villarroya Gombau
The Programme went on with its activities in 2016 and the results of its work were excellent. Over the year nearly 40 international publications focussing on the objectives of the programme were produced by CIBEROBN teams. Apart from the relevant contributions based on the research work done by the groups forming part of the programmes, we should stress the work done in cooperation intended to achieve the programme’s transversal objectives. Some of the most noteworthy of these are mentioned below, either because of their impact or in particular through being based on cooperative aspects in implementation of the Programme.
As part of the sub-programmes under way, one relevant area of research is the determination of gonadotropic determining factors and the interaction of puberal development with obesity. One highly relevant contribution in this sphere is the publication entitled “Defining a novel leptin-melanocortin- kisspeptin pathway involved in the metabolic control of puberty” by MANFREDI-LOZANO M ET AL. in Mol Metab. 2016, 5:844-57, as a result of the cooperation between 2 CIBEROBN teams (M. Tena-Sempere; C, Diéguez) in the Programme. The identification of new factors of systemic action involved in the control
of adiposity is also being investigated in the Programme. We should stress in this respect the publication about the role of LBP protein, as a result of the cooperation between two CIBEROBN teams involved in
the programme (J.M. Fernández Real and F.Villarroya): “Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein is a negative regulator of adipose tissue browning in mice and humans” GAVALDÀ-NAVARRO A ET AL. Diabetologia. 2016, 59:2208-18. Mention should also be given to the joint participation of two CIBEROBN groups from the Programme (C. Diéguez and F. Casanueva) in the publication of “Uroguanylin Action in the Brain Reduces Weight Gain in Obese Mice via Different Efferent Autonomic Pathways.” FOLGUEIRA C, ET AL. Diabetes. 2016, 65:421-32.
Apart from the scientific contributions materialised in the publications, in 2016 the Programme has been performing different actions for energising and coordinating work. Support has continued to be given for importing and transferring model animals between the groups, especially mice with genetic modifications, relevant for the study of obesity. The internal database of animal models available is being kept up.
New cooperation schemes between several CIBEROBN groups have been started for new objectives of the programme (for example, the coordinated study of new circulating factors in obesity and diabetes associated with environmental management and determinants, in coordination between the groups of F. Tinahones, F. Villarroya and M. Fitó). General meetings for annual coordination and scientific exchange have also been held. To this end the internal meetings of the Programme were usefully combined with sessions involving participation of scientists from other international spheres, a highly successful system already tried out in previous years. In 2016 we should stress the meeting “Emerging model systems
and obesity research”, held in March 2016 at the Universidad de Barcelona, with the participation of international experts and members of all the groups in the Programme, at which the use of non- conventional animal models for studies of the physiopathology of obesity was discussed.
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