During the period covered by the report, we advance our knowledge not only in fundamental issues related to the pathophysiology of NAFLD, but also developed methodological strategies to identify novel biomarkers and interventions.
From the beginning of the project, 9 staff secondments were already finished, with several more in progress. Early-stage researchers and experienced researchers, as well as technicians were seconded from academic institutions to non-academic institutions and vice-versa. More specifically:
1 - Filomena Silva (WP1), from the CNC – Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal explored the role of inhibitors of fatty acid oxidation in cell models of NAFLD at the company Oroboros (Austria). Filomena identified some non-specific effects of those inhibitors which can be important in the development of more specific research kits. Fatty oxidation is very relevant in mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of the cells, and which become dysfunctional during NAFLD progression.
2 - Maria Meneses (WP1) was seconded from APDP (PT) to KCL (UK). In her secondment, her aim was to understand how the diet affects hepatic mitochondrial DNA and the consequence of that to the metabolic dysfunction during NAFLD. Her results are critical to develop novel biomarkers and other diagnostic tools, and to understand dietary effects on mitochondrial function.
3 - Timea Komlodi (WP1) was seconded from Oroboros (AT) to HMGU (DE). By using isolated liver mitochondria, she investigated one of the major problems in mitochondrial biology, which is the real amount of hydrogen peroxide produced in mitochondria during normal and disease conditions. Her studies allow to increase our fundamental knowledge how liver mitochondria progress from a benign state to a dysfunctional state during NAFLD progression.
4 - Sabine Schmitt (WP1) was seconded from HMGU (DE) to Oroboros (AT) and used parallel determination of mitochondrial respiration, membrane potential, hydrogen peroxide production and energy-rich molecules to access the mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction during NAFLD progression, developing powerful tools to elucidate the different stages of mitochondrial impairment and their involvement in disease progression.
5 - Jaschar Kabiri (WP1) was seconded from HMGU (DE) to Oroboros (AT). By using an experimental compound, the researcher investigated its effects on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The research opens the way to more effective treatments to HCC, the end-stage of NAFLD, and which results in significant mortality.
6 - Nina Bauer (WP2) was seconded from Mediagnost (DE) to FFUL (PT). She performed experiments with samples obtained from two different mouse models and from human patients with NAFLD, developing novel ELISA-based diagnostic kits. The different set of diagnostic parameters – used separately or correlated with other markers - could facilitate staging of NAFLD and help to offer patients suitable treatment without the need of invasive methods.
7 - Theresa Thiel (WP2) was seconded from Mediagnost (DE) to CNC (PT). Her objective was to measure different proteins that may be augmented or decreased in liver samples from NAFLD models, and which may be used in the future as biomarkers. Those proteins originate in mitochondria and may be a tell-tale sign of dysfunction in that organelle.
8 - Luciana Ferreira (WP3) was seconded from CNC (PT) to Mediagnost (DE) and contributed to the development of novel diagnostic kits that would measure the same proteins validated by the previous secondee (Theresa Thiel). Her results, which need to be further optimized, will open the way to market development of these novel diagnostic kits by the company.
9 - Paula Macedo (WP4) was seconded from APDP (PT) to CNR (IT) and worked on communicating and disseminating information about the project and its activities, exploring its potential and ensuring the highest impact possible within the consortium, across Europe and beyond.
