Project description
Non-coding RNAs and the metabolic processes of adipocytes
Adipocytes (fat cells) store energy as lipids, which can be broken down into fatty acids and released into the circulation when needed. Under normal circumstances, correct storage and release of lipid maintains metabolic health. However, in the case of obesity, the balance of lipid storage and release dysfunctions which can lead to insulin resistance, diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases. The ERC-funded LNC-LIPID project aims to investigate how long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) promote adipocyte lipid storage and release. Using innovative methodologies to identify lncRNA-interacting proteins, it will pinpoint disease-regulated lncRNAs in adipose tissue biopsies and test how they function in human cells. The findings will offer insight into how lncRNAs affect lipid metabolism and contribute to metabolic health.
Objective
Energy is stored in adipocytes as a large uniocular lipid droplet, which can be broken down into fatty acids (FAs) and released into the circulation when needed. This specialised lipid storage and breakdown requires dynamic organisation of metabolic enzymes and cofactors around the large lipid droplet for metabolic homeostasis. In obesity, the adipocyte dysfunctions, resulting in high spontaneous release of FAs. This chronic release and elevation of systemic FAs is a major driver of systemic insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases.
I postulate that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) interact with the metabolic machinery within the adipocyte to organize cell- and stimulation-specific interactomes, channelling substrate flux within the cell. Adipocytes express over 4000 lncRNAs, many of which are unique to humans and this cell type. However, whether these lncRNAs contribute to the adipocyte’s specialised lipid metabolism in health and disease is not understood. This proposed research aims to address this question.
I have already developed key methodologies to study lncRNAs in human adipocytes, including a novel technique called TROOPS that identifies specific lncRNA-interacting proteins. Leveraging an extensive bank of white adipose tissue biopsies from uniquely characterized patients, I will identify disease-regulated lncRNAs and test how they function in human adipocytes. I will use gene editing techniques and lipid/metabolomics analysis to define the role of these lncRNAs in lipid storage and FA release.
Furthermore, I will use protein-lncRNA complex purification combined with advanced microscopy techniques to reveal how lncRNAs can sequester protein complexes into phase-separated organelles and organize adipocyte lipid metabolism. These insights will provide a paradigm shift in understanding how lncRNAs enable the adipocyte to perform specialized functions and new generalizable findings for how lncRNAs contribute to cell function.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition obesity
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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171 77 STOCKHOLM
Sweden
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