Final Report Summary - OBESITY53 (p53 as a New Mediator of Energy Balance in the Brain)
In this project we are evaluating the potential of brain p53 as an anti-obesity and/or anti-diabetic drug candidate. To achieve this, we have designed a strategy that includes genetically-manipulated mice approaches. In this sense, we have found that brain p53 is necessary for the adipogenic action of ghrelin. Moreover, we are now characterizing the metabolic alterations of mice lacking p53 in the whole body and mice lacking p53 in specific neuronal populations which are key in the regulation of energy balance and glucose metabolism. Understanding the precise role and mechanisms regulated by central p53 on energy balance may open new avenues for the identification of potential antiobesity drug targets directed towards specific molecular pathways.