NGFN-PLUS

Molecular mechanisms in obesity

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Coordinator:    Prof. Dr. Johannes Hebebrand
Institution: Klinik für Psychiatrie und -psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, LVR Klinikum, Universität Duisburg-Essen
Homepage: www.uni-due.de/rke-kj
Major goal of the network “Molecular mechanisms in obesity” was the identification of genes/alleles predisposing to obesity and their subsequent evaluation in epidemiological, developmental, clinical, functional and therapeutic terms.
The extension and subsequent maintenance of our successful research pipeline (figure 1) established during NGFN1&2 was vital for the network. Using GWAS (genome wide association studies) data–novel polygenes were identified (Workblock (WB) 1, SP1: “Gene identification”); studies in rodents were continued (SP2). As a third and new approach, we included the subproject “Proteomics” in workblock 1 (SP3). We validated the respective findings and assessed the relevance of detected alleles in relationship to different developmental stages in epidemiological samples in workblock 2 (Epidemiology). Functional studies in workblock 3 focused on the implications of the detected genetic variation using in vitro and in vivo models. The analysis of Fto knock out mice facilitated the analysis of the obesity polygene with the largest effect size currently known (SP10). Within workblock 4 “Therapy” we initiated systemic studies using in vivo models to examine negative side effects of therapeutically induced weight loss at the molecular level (SP12), compound screening for novel obesity genes (SP11) as well as studies on the impact of obesity genes on diet and behavior in childhood and adolescence in a mouse model (SP14).

Latest results can be found in detail in the descriptions of the subprojects

Deputy Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Anke Hinney
 

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