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Role of MC4R in neurodegeneration using zebrafish as a model
- Date: 2022-2026
- Project leader: A. Jhosadara Espinosa-Flores
Melanocortin system (MS) is a neuronal pathway involved in regulation of energy homeostasis and food intake; within the 5 G-protein coupled receptors, the activation of the melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) is a novel therapy to weight control in obesity. Obesity by itself represents a low- grade inflammation stage and increases the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases in the elderly. Besides the MS, the expanded endocannabinoid system (eCBome) is involved in regulation of the inflammatory process in several tissues. Therefore, the overarching aim of this project is to test the hypothesis that perturbation of MC4R signalling leads to neuroinflammation and neuro-degeneration, and to explore the role of the endocannabinoid system in these processes. We shall characterize the expression of inflammatory biomarkers, astrocytes activation and endocannabinoids during perturbation of the MC4R pathway , monitoring alteration of appetite, anxiety-like behaviors and cognition.
Project in collaboration with Dr. Li Chan