Periodic Reporting for period 3 - PhaseControl (How cellular suicide programmes control phase transitions in fatty liver disease and liver cancer)
Période du rapport: 2022-02-01 au 2023-04-30
This project investigates the molecular mechanisms that regulate the development of liver cancer based on fatty liver disease. Fatty liver disease is the most common form of liver diseases in western industrialised countries. It can be caused, for example, by an unhealthy lifestyle and obesity, but also genetic factors and environmental influences may play a role. Some patients with fatty liver disease are at risk of developing liver cancer, which represents the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality.
The overall objective of the project is to better understand the molecular mechanisms leading to liver cancer development arising from fatty liver disease Thereby, new molecular biomarkers should be identified that allow an early detection of those patients suffering from fatty liver disease who are at increased risk for liver cancer development.
The overall objective of the project is to better understand the molecular mechanisms leading to liver cancer development arising from fatty liver disease Thereby, new molecular biomarkers should be identified that allow an early detection of those patients suffering from fatty liver disease who are at increased risk for liver cancer development.
Using different transgenic mouse models, several molecules could be identified, which seem to have switch-like functions due to liver cancer development out of fatty liver disease (e.g. NASH; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). For this transition, cell death is of major importance: It could be shown that liver cells can die in a "controlled" manner due to various stress factors (e.g. excessive fat storage within the liver cells). Such cellular "suicide programmes" are present in all cells and can cause different reactions in the surrounding liver tissue/ cells.
Cells which undergo different "suicide programmes" are releasing factors, thereby strongly influencing neighbouring cells. Investigating, which of these factors are able to modulate/trigger inflammation and uncontrolled cell growth – as the basis for cancer development – will help to improve the recognition of patients with fatty liver disease who show an increased risk for liver cancer development. On this basis, new therapeutic approaches will be developed, which ideally can be tested in a clinical study.