Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Insulin Resistance

Project Information

HGF-INSR

Grant agreement ID: 256369

Project closed

Start date 1 June 2010

End date 31 May 2014

Funded under

• Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Total cost € 100 000,00

EU contribution € 100 000,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA - LA MANCHA
Spain

Objective

Insulin resistance is a hallmark of human diseases, including diabetes and obesity, which lead to abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism as a result of impaired metabolic response to insulin. The mechanism underlying the development of insulin resistance remains incompletely understood. Excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by the adipose tissue is linked to insulin resistance. Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) is an adipocytokine elevated in obese subjects, which strongly correlated with the metabolic syndrome. However the role of HGF in the etiology of the insulin resistance remains unknown. Recently, we have demonstrated that HGF is a potent activator of glucose transport and metabolism, and also a strong inhibitor of fatty acid oxidation in rodent myotubes (Perdomo et al., J. Biol. Chem., 2008). In addition, we have generated (i) a conditional transgenic mouse of HGF in the skeletal muscle, and (ii) a conditional knockout mouse of the HGF receptor (c-met) in skeletal muscle. We hypothesized that HGF ameliorates skeletal muscle insulin resistance in vivo. To test this hypothesis, we propose two aims: 1) To investigate the relationship between plasma HGF levels and insulin resistance in humans. 2) To investigate the role of HGF in the insulin-resistant skeletal muscle. Accomplishing this project will elucidate the relationship between plasma HGF levels and insulin resistance in humans and determine its contribution to the etiology and pathophysiology of insulin resistance. A mechanistic understanding of insulin resistance will facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies and identification of new drug targets in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and obesity. Finally, my preliminary data have provided feasibility for the project.

Fields of science

• medical and health sciences › basic medicine › physiology › pathophysiology
• natural sciences › chemical sciences › electrochemistry › electrolysis
• medical and health sciences › clinical medicine › endocrinology › diabetes
• natural sciences › biological sciences › biochemistry › biomolecules › lipids
• medical and health sciences › health sciences › nutrition › obesity

Programme(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)

Topic(s)

• FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG - Marie Curie Action: "Reintegration Grants"

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)

Coordinator

UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA - LA MANCHA

Administrative Contact

Maria Llanos Carrión Varela (Ms.)

• EU contribution: € 40 927,42
• Address: CALLE ALTAGRACIA 50 ; 13071 Ciudad Real ; Spain
• Region: Centro (ES) › Castilla-La Mancha › Ciudad Real
• Activity type: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• Total cost: No data

Participants (1)

Fundación para la Gestión de la Investigación Biomédica de Cádiz

Participation ended

Spain

Administrative Contact

Diana Regueiro Catalan (Ms.)

• EU contribution: € 59 072,58
• Address: AVDA ANA DE VIYA 21 HOSPITAL UNIVERSITARIO PUERTA DEL MAR ; 11009 Cadiz
• Region: Sur › Andalucía › Cádiz
• Activity type: Research Organisations
• Total cost: No data